You old man, you are seriously too shameless, ahhhh!!!
However, Qiao Yan’s professional dedication as “Little Peach” reminded him that the sugar daddy’s interest was peaking right now, and he absolutely could not spoil the mood.
Gritting his teeth, Qiao Yan stabilized his phone and did his best to make his voice sound slightly bewildered: “Daddy, what’s wrong?”
The moment the question left his mouth, Qiao Yan regretted it. It was honestly a bit too foolish.
He Yanzhou didn’t reply immediately. Only the sound of his breathing grew several shades heavier, echoing clearly as if he were right next to Qiao Yan’s ear.
After a few seconds, he finally spoke: “Move the camera down a bit. I want to see the necklace.”
Pursing his lips, Qiao Yan slowly angled the camera downward. Beneath the dark blue lace collar, that single black diamond was locked tightly against his porcelain skin. His skin was naturally thin; the moment he got even slightly flustered, a crimson flush would creep straight up his neck, making the diamond reflect a faint, bloody luster.
“Tilt it sideways a bit more,” He Yanzhou’s voice dropped even lower. “Let me see it clearly.”
Qiao Yan closed his eyes, cursing He Yanzhou eight hundred times over in his mind. Yet, his body submissively complied, tilting to the side to display the complete, elegant line of his neck. This movement caused the pulsing of his carotid artery to become incredibly distinct, pushing against the cold collar beat after beat.
Qiao Yan felt his ears burning hot enough to combust. A powerful wave of shame—from being intensely scrutinized and read like a book—flooded his heart.
“Very beautiful…” He Yanzhou issued the next directive. “Turn around.”
Biting his lip, Qiao Yan slowly turned around and placed his phone down on the bed. With his back to the camera, he could see the contours of his spine stretching out through the lens, alongside the small length of chain where the necklace fastened at the nape of his neck.
The breathing on the other end grew significantly heavier.
“Your hands,” He Yanzhou’s voice sounded ragged. “Put your hands on your waist.”
Qiao Yan froze for two seconds before slowly lifting his hands, resting them loosely against his waist. The moment his fingertips brushed the soft fabric, he curled them inward as if he had been scalded.
“Grip it tight,” He Yanzhou commanded in a low, coaxing murmur. “…It doesn’t matter if you wrinkle it.”
Qiao Yan’s fingers finally applied pressure, pinching the fabric at his waist. The dark blue lace crumpled into a ball inside his palms. This posture forced him to straighten his back, stretching his neck into a vulnerable arc as the black collar pressed a shallow indentation into his skin.
“Good girl…” He Yanzhou praised in a hoarse, raspy tone.
Qiao Yan’s face felt like it was on fire. He bit down hard on his lower lip to keep from making a sound.
Sitting rigidly on his knees like a wooden puppet pinned to a display rack, he could only let the deep sighs from the other end crash into his eardrums wave after wave.
After a long time, everything finally returned to silence.
The screen fell quiet for a few seconds, leaving only the sound of He Yanzhou’s gradually stabilizing breaths.
Qiao Yan remained frozen, his fingers still pinching his waist, his breathing completely disordered.
“Let go,” He Yanzhou’s voice came through. It was incredibly raspy, yet it had regained its usual composed stability. “Did I scare you?”
Only then did Qiao Yan seem to snap back to reality, abruptly releasing his grip. The fabric at his waist was already terribly wrinkled, and the lace trim had rubbed his skin red. He clumsily tugged at the hem of his skirt, his voice dry: “Not at all.”
“Liar,” He Yanzhou let out a low, lazy chuckle. “Your face is completely red.”
Qiao Yan instinctively touched his face, pulling his hand back from the sheer heat of it.
“The necklace suits you well,” He Yanzhou’s tone softened into a comforting cadence. “Keep it on.”
Obviously you just wanted to look at it yourself!!
Qiao Yan gave a muffled response: “Oh.”
He Yanzhou said: “The car arrives tomorrow. Happy birthday in advance.”
He hadn’t expected He Yanzhou to actually remember the fake birthday he had casually made up, which happened to be tomorrow. Qiao Yan suddenly felt a wave of guilt, temporarily at a loss for words.
“…Thank you, daddy.”
He Yanzhou let out what sounded like an incredibly faint chuckle: “Mm. Go to sleep early.”
“Goodnight, daddy.”
Qiao Yan hastily hung up the phone.
Kneeling on the spot, he looked down at his crumpled dress and the black diamond resting on his chest.
You old pervert!!!
Gritting his teeth, he yanked at his collar, wanting to rip the choker off. But his fingers froze on the cold clasp the moment he caught sight of himself in the mirror.
The person in the mirror had flushed eyes and a deeply bitten, vivid lower lip—looking entirely like he had been thoroughly bullied. He glared at the mirror, ultimately settling for throwing a vicious punch into the mattress.
“So annoying!!!”
The next day when Qiao Yan woke up, the sun was already burning his backside.
Drowsily reaching for his phone, the screen had barely lit up before the notification chime of Alipay began ringing in a rapid, continuous cascade.
Qiao Yan rubbed his eyes and stared at the long string of digits on the screen. Any trace of sleepiness vanished instantly.
—Alipay transfer received: 10,000 RMB.
The memo contained only two words: Cake.
Immediately after, a message from Moyu popped up.
Yan: It’s your birthday. Go buy a cake and celebrate with friends or family.
Staring at the text, the corners of Qiao Yan’s mouth involuntarily arched upward.
The old man is quite considerate. He knows to hand over the allowance after getting his fill.
He typed back at lightning speed.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Thank you, daddy! Little Peach is going to buy a super massive cake right now!!
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: [Kitten spinning around.gif]
After sending the message, Qiao Yan executed a swift kip-up to bounce off the bed. Washing up and changing clothes happened in one fluid motion; today he intentionally chose a bright yellow hoodie, making his entire aura look warm and radiant.
Just as he finished tidying up, his phone rang again. This time it was a courier.
“Is this Ms. Qiao? You have a delivery that requires a signature. It’s a car key and the accompanying documents. We need to verify your information on our end…”
Qiao Yan’s heart hammered violently. Grabbing his coat, he charged straight out the door.
Half an hour later, he stood on the open ground beneath the dorm building. Nestled in his hands was an exquisite black gift box. Opening it, a car key lay silently inside, the Bugatti Bolide emblem shimmering under the brilliant sunlight.
Resting beside it was an enclosed card with a single line of printed text: Happy Birthday, Yan.
Qiao Yan took a deep breath, feeling as though he was about to float away.
He meticulously tucked the key into his pocket, whipped out his phone, and dialed Cao Jingtong.
“Cao Jingtong? Where are you? Get downstairs right now!”
“What’s up, Yanyan? I’m still in bed…”
“Stop sleeping! Your daddy is taking you for a spin. Hurry up!”
Ten minutes later, Cao Jingtong appeared at the dorm entrance with messy hair and bleary eyes. The moment his gaze landed on the deep blue Bugatti Bolide parked right behind Qiao Yan, he snapped completely awake.
“Holy shit!!!!!” Cao Jingtong’s eyes widened into perfect circles. “This… this… this is yours?!”
Qiao Yan hoisted his chin with immense pride, dangling the car key in his hand: “How about it? Isn’t it gorgeous?”
“Gorgeously explosive!!!” Cao Jingtong circled the vehicle three times, practically crawling on the ground to inspect the chassis. “Where did you get the cash to buy this?! Did you rob a bank?! Brother, whatever you do, don’t stray into the dark side!!!”
“What nonsense are you spouting,” Qiao Yan threw open the car door, tossing his head back with slick confidence. “Get in. I’m taking you out for a joyride!”
Dazedly slipping into the passenger seat, Cao Jingtong stroked the genuine leather upholstery and traced the center console, completely trapped in a dreamlike state: “Yanyan, give it to me straight. Have you been taken in by some rich older woman?”
“Screw off,” Qiao Yan ignited the engine, the motor unleashing a low, melodious hum. “It’s a rich older gentleman.”
“A guy?!” Cao Jingtong was even more stupefied. “As in that He Yanzhou? Aren’t you straight? Did you actually go through with hooking him?”
“I am straight,” Qiao Yan stated with absolute righteousness. “But that doesn’t conflict with me milking a gold mine.”
Cao Jingtong: “…”
The vehicle glided smoothly out of the campus and merged onto the main thoroughfare. The deep blue chassis shimmered brilliantly under the winter sun, drawing the gaze of countless pedestrians.
Qiao Yan rolled down the window, letting the crisp, cold wind rush in. His mood was so sublime he wanted to hum a song.
“See this? See this?” He flexed while steering. “A Bugatti Bolide, global limited edition! The old man gifted it without a single blink!”
Cao Jingtong had recovered from his initial shock by now, turning a highly complex look toward Qiao Yan: “Yanyan, are you absolutely certain you want to keep doing this? I mean, deceiving someone’s feelings and swindling their money…”
“Who’s deceiving feelings?” Qiao Yan countered immediately. “This is a righteous mission of revenge! Have you forgotten how Qiao Yunguang treated me? Forgotten how He Yanzhou helped him bully me? I am enacting justice on behalf of the heavens!”
“Fine, fine, fine, justice for the heavens,” Cao Jingtong raised his hands in surrender. “Then what do you plan to do next? Keep milking him?”
“Of course I’m keeping at it,” Qiao Yan’s eyes sparkled. “Haven’t you seen how incredibly generous he’s been lately? First a necklace, now a supercar—this is barely scratching the surface.”
“Then you better watch your step,” Cao Jingtong offered a trace of worry. “Don’t play with fire and crash.”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” Qiao Yan was bursting with confidence. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”
The two of them circled the city center several times until Qiao Yan had completely satisfied his craving. Only then did he reluctantly pilot the vehicle back to a premium parking garage near the school; there simply wasn’t a proper place to park such a luxury hypercar below the dorm building.
After securing the car, Qiao Yan dragged Cao Jingtong into the highest-end bakery nearby.
“I want this one, this one, and that one,” Qiao Yan pointed at the most magnificent cakes displayed inside the glass case. “Wrap them all up.”
The clerk was somewhat startled: “Sir, these cakes are quite substantial. Are you certain you require all of them?”
“Positive,” Qiao Yan pulled out his phone to scan the QR code. “It’s my birthday today, I’m celebrating.”
Ultimately, they lugged three massive cake boxes back to the dorm.
Qiao Yan arranged the cakes neatly across the desk, snapped a photo, and sent it to Yan.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Look, daddy! Little Peach bought a super massive cake! [Image] [Image] [Image]
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Thank you, daddy, for giving me such a wonderful birthday! Little Peach loves you!
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: [Kitten blowing a kiss.gif]
After sending the messages, Qiao Yan unboxed one of the cakes, sliced an enormous piece, and handed it to Cao Jingtong: “Here, eat up!”
Accepting the cake, Cao Jingtong looked at Qiao Yan’s radiant profile. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but ultimately swallowed his words and lowered his head to eat.
Once they finished, Qiao Yan saw Cao Jingtong off out of the dorm.
While eating his cake, Qiao Yan scrolled through his phone and saw Yan’s reply.
Yan: Mm. As long as you are happy.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Is daddy busy today? Do you want to eat a piece of cake too? Little Peach can save a slice for daddy!
Yan: No need. You eat.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Then is daddy free tonight? Little Peach wants to…
Qiao Yan froze halfway through typing.
He had instinctively wanted to write, “Little Peach wants to video call daddy,” but his brain immediately projected the vivid, face-flushing imagery from last night.
Forget it, forget it. The old man’s reactions are way too intense; I won’t survive a second round.
Deleting the drafted words, Qiao Yan re-entered his text.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Then Little Peach will just eat it all by herself! Daddy must remember to eat your meals on time too!
After sending this, Qiao Yan breathed a sigh of relief and stuffed another forkful of cake into his mouth.
He tapped open his phone gallery to inspect the video he had recorded last night. Even though it only captured below his neck, that intense wave of shame still rushed right at his face.
Feeling his cheeks heat up again, Qiao Yan rapidly exited the gallery.
After a brief thought, he climbed off the bed and walked over to the full-length mirror.
Today he was dressed in ordinary loungewear—a light gray cotton T-shirt and pajama pants. The collar was perfectly neat, exposing absolutely no extra skin.
Lifting his phone, Qiao Yan snapped a photo against the mirror.
In the photo, his hair was still slightly damp, clinging softly against his forehead. His eyes looked glistening and hydrated from his recent shower, his cheeks carried a natural pink glow, and a small smudge of cream lingered at the corner of his lips before he had a chance to wipe it away. The background featured the warm yellow lighting of the dorm and a slightly messy but highly lived-in desk.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: [Image]
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: I got cake all over my face, daddy don’t laugh at me QAQ
After sending it, Qiao Yan tossed the phone aside, wiped off the cream, and bundled himself back into his blanket.
A few minutes later, the phone buzzed.
Yan: Mm. The photo looks very well-behaved.
Yan: Log onto the game. I have something to gift you.
The moment he logged in, a system notification popped up.
[System] Your close friend [YYYan] has gifted you a rare companion [Orange Tuan-Tuan]. Please proceed to your mailbox to claim it.
Orange Tuan-Tuan?
Qiao Yan hastily opened his mailbox. True to the message, a round, fluffy orange kitten companion was sitting inside, tilting its head toward him with large, amber eyes.
Damn it, this is way too cute ahhhh! It looks exactly like a chubby Pipixia!!
The moment he claimed the companion, Orange Tuan-Tuan bounded right over to his character’s feet, affectionately rubbing against his legs while emitting a soft, velvety “Meow~”.
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Daddy! This kitten!!!
[Whisper] YYYan: Do you like it?
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: I love it, love it, absolutely love it! How did daddy know I like this kind?*
[Whisper] YYYan: Guessed.
Sitting in his study, He Yanzhou watched the pink avatar on his screen circling the orange cat, hopping up and down. The corners of his mouth arced upward slightly.
He really had guessed.
Little Peach always brought up cats during their past chats, and cat plushies often appeared in the background of her photos. Gifting a companion cat was bound to be a safe bet. As for why he chose an orange cat—when he sent photos of his own Pipixia last time, she seemed to adore it. Furthermore, an orange cat was round and stout, which resembled her—slightly goofy yet endearing.
He had indeed been a bit too impulsive last night; sending her a cyber-cat could serve as a form of compensation.
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: It’s so cute! I’m going to give it a name—Little Orange!
[Whisper] YYYan: As you wish.
With immense excitement, Qiao Yan opened the cash shop and began a wild shopping spree. The kitten bed had to be the most luxurious cloud-themed model, the little outfits needed bows, and the toys had to glow…
In any case, He Yanzhou had given him plenty of allowance, so spending it didn’t hurt in the slightest.
By the time he had fully outfitted Little Orange, the orange cat had moved into a luxury bed with a starry canopy, a red bow tied around its neck, actively playing with a self-rolling yarn ball.
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: [Screenshot]
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Look, daddy! Isn’t Little Orange super adorable!
He Yanzhou clicked open the screenshot.
In the frame, the character in the pink puff dress squatted before the luxury cat bed, reaching out a hand to stroke the orange cat’s fluffy head. The orange cat squinted its eyes in pure comfort, its tail swaying gently. The entire scene was warm and charming, set against the backdrop of Little Peach’s garishly decorated dream home, covered in shimmering ornaments.
It really was quite cute.
Previously, he had always felt that Little Peach approached him strictly for money, and that all her coddling and sweet talk were mere tactics. But after spending this period interacting with her, he discovered that while this girl possessed a bit of vanity and was a tad clumsy, her heart was actually quite innocent.
She would be ecstatic for half the day over a single in-game flower; she would clumsily get chased by wild boars, then diligently save up game currency to build houses for revenge; she would secretly cry over family matters, yet turn around to put on a brave face and send photos to him.
She resembled a kitten drenched by the rain that stubbornly insisted on holding its head high—unyielding, yet easily triggering a protective instinct in others.
He Yanzhou suddenly felt that if his online dating partner was her, it didn’t seem entirely unacceptable.
He had reached the appropriate age. Though he had always found romantic entanglements troublesome, if it were someone like Little Peach—straightforward, direct—it didn’t seem that difficult to embrace.
At the very least, he felt relaxed when chatting with her.
[Whisper] YYYan: Very cute.
[Whisper] YYYan: You too.
Seeing this sentence, Qiao Yan blanked.
Is he complimenting me?
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: What is daddy saying~ Little Peach doesn’t understand~
[Whisper] YYYan: I said, you are very cute too.
Qiao Yan’s face instantly erupted into a deep blush.
Did this old man take the wrong medicine today? Why is he suddenly saying things like this?
His fingers hovered over the keyboard for a long while, completely unsure of how to respond. Ultimately, he merely sent a kitten face-palm emoji.
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: (/ω＼)
In the game, the pink avatar spun in place while holding the orange cat, a massive pink bubble emoji appearing over its head.
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Thank you, daddy! This is the most, most, most favorite birthday present Little Peach has ever received!
Staring at the screen, He Yanzhou’s fingertips paused over the keyboard for a brief moment before typing out a few lines.
[Whisper] YYYan: Happy Birthday.
[Whisper] YYYan: I hope for every birthday in the future, you can be this happy.
Qiao Yan stared at those lines, his heart inexplicably skipping a beat.
The old man is suddenly being so serious, it’s honestly a bit weird to get used to.
The pink avatar hopped and skipped while carrying the orange cat over to the fountain in the center of the estate. It was a holographic fountain he had smashed through with the funds He Yanzhou provided; at this moment, it was spouting rainbow-colored water columns, the droplets shimmering beautifully under the moonlight.
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Look, daddy! I’m making Little Orange make a wish!
The avatar held the orange cat high up in the air. The orange cat kicked its short little legs, letting out a “Meow”. The water columns suddenly shifted shape, transforming into countless twinkling little stars that swirled around the duo.
The game effects were incredibly dreamlike, yet Qiao Yan found himself inexplicably drifting off into his thoughts.
He recalled his past birthdays back when he was still with the Qiao family. His mother would order his favorite cream cake ahead of time, and his father would cancel all his work engagements to come home for dinner. Though the gifts were always uniformly expensive, at least he possessed a home back then.
Unlike now, where even his birthday was a complete lie.
Qiao Yan shook his head to banish these annoying thoughts from his brain, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: By the way, daddy, New Year’s Eve is just around the corner! How do you plan to spend it?
Seeing this question, He Yanzhou’s brow furrowed slightly.
New Year’s Eve…
He could practically picture the cold, oppressive atmosphere of the ancestral He estate. He Xinli would perpetually maintain a rigid expression, the dining table would feature only the echoing sounds of clashing cutlery, and every individual looked as though they were executing a mandatory chore.
That kind of suffocating family gathering was something he tolerated only once a year.
[Whisper] YYYan: Not decided yet.
[Whisper] YYYan: What about you?
Qiao Yan curled his lips.
He obviously had nowhere to go. Ever since that phone call from the Qiao family, he had completely severed any notion of returning. The dorm building wouldn’t kick him out, but huddling alone inside an empty room on New Year’s Eve… sigh, just thinking about it felt pathetic.
No way. Little Peach’s persona is a pampered, blissful little treasure spoiled to the heavens by her daddy. How could she exhibit a pitiful, helpless look!
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Little Peach has already agreed to go out and play with friends! We might go to a New Year’s countdown concert, or find a spot to watch fireworks~ It’s going to be super lively!
[Whisper] YYYan: Mm. Stay safe.
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Understood, understood! Daddy too, have a wonderful New Year!
[Whisper] Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Oh, oh, right! If daddy ever gets bored, you can find me to chat anytime! Little Peach will be thinking of you on New Year’s Eve too!
Staring at the phrase “will be thinking of you too”, a faint trace of a smile flickered across the depths of He Yanzhou’s eyes.
[Whisper] YYYan: Alright.
On the afternoon of New Year’s Eve, He Yanzhou drove back to the ancestral He estate.
By the time the vehicle rolled through the main gates, twilight had already blanketed the sky. The ancestral home was a traditional Chinese-style villa complete with a courtyard, a row of red lanterns hanging beneath the corridors, casting a warm, ambient glow into the dusk.
He Yanzhou cut the engine but remained seated inside the vehicle, not stepping out immediately.
He observed a figure standing silently behind that familiar window on the second floor—it was Aunt Jiang. She always enjoyed standing there, doing nothing, simply gazing outside.
Gazing at the few plane trees in the courtyard she had personally planted when she first arrived, gazing at the sky obscured by the perimeter walls further in the distance.
He Xinli never permitted her to step out of the gates alone. She resembled a beautifully packaged collector’s item, confined to remain inside this estate forever.
The phone she used was a customized model provided by He Xinli, capable of reaching only a highly restricted list of numbers. When He Yanzhou was a child, he had witnessed her attempting to scale the wall—dressed in her nightgown and completely barefoot—only to be caught red-handed by He Xinli returning in the middle of the night. Following that incident, invisible security mesh was installed outside her windows; it wasn’t visible from a distance, only recognizable as fine metal grids upon close inspection.
He Yanzhou still remembered the period immediately following his mother’s passing. The mourning hall was set up at home, with people filtering in and out constantly. He Xinli stood beside the coffin exchanging pleasantries with guests, his face displaying zero trace of profound grief. At that time, Jiang Lihua hadn’t been brought back yet, leaving the house completely hollow.
Less than three months after his mother was laid to rest, He Xinli drank heavily one evening and summoned He Yanzhou to the study. The teenage He Yanzhou had already grown quite tall, yet standing before his father still evoked a sense of intense pressure.
“I’m finding you a new mother,” He Xinli had stated back then.
He Yanzhou didn’t utter a word.
“She’s in the arts, her temper might be a bit difficult,” He Xinli lit a cigarette. “But she looks decent.”
Only later did He Yanzhou discover that the so-called “difficult temper” was due to Jiang Lihua resisting with everything she had.
She possessed a boyfriend back then whom she had been dating for several years; the two had even finalized their marital home. He Xinli utilized the most direct method possible, causing the boy’s family business to encounter catastrophic issues overnight, teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.
Then, he sent a message to Jiang Lihua: Marry me, and I’ll bail them out; refuse, and watch them burn.
Jiang Lihua had come to beg He Yanzhou’s mother. At that time, his mother was already so ill she couldn’t leave her bed; she held Jiang Lihua’s hand and wept continuously, saying she was sorry, saying she was entirely powerless.
The wedding was rushed yet grand. Jiang Lihua stood on the stage clad in her bridal gown, her face as pale as sheets. He Xinli, conversely, smiled with immense satisfaction, wrapping an arm around her waist as if displaying a newly acquired trophy.
Life post-marriage offered little else to recount. He Xinli forbade her from working further; her position at the gallery was terminated, and contact with her artistic circle was severed entirely.
The family hired instructors for her, teaching her flower arrangement, tea ceremonies, and piano—everything a “Mrs. He” ought to master, Jiang Lihua learned exceptionally well, to the point where no flaws could be picked out. Yet, the spark within her eyes gradually burned out.
Jiang Cai’s birth was an accident. He Xinli presumably felt that securing a child would tie her down, but Jiang Lihua’s depression worsened post-pregnancy, leaving her reliant on medication to function for a period. He Xinli confiscated all her prescriptions, stating they were detrimental to her health. Jiang Lihua didn’t throw a tantrum; she simply grew more silent, sometimes not uttering a single syllable for an entire day.
This home was exactly like that—magnificent, freezing, with every individual residing inside their respective cages.
He Yanzhou pushed open the car door, allowing the cold wind to pour in.
Carrying the New Year gifts, he walked toward the main building. Before he even crossed the threshold, He Xinli’s voice carried out: “I said we’re eating at home, we aren’t going anywhere.”
Followed by Jiang Lihua’s flat response: “As you wish.”
He Yanzhou pushed the door open and stepped inside.
In the living room, He Xinli sat dead center on the sofa watching the news, while Jiang Lihua sat on a single-seater armchair closest to the window, a book cradled in her hands.
He Yanzhou offered his greetings, “Dad, Aunt Jiang.”
He Xinli lifted his eyelids slightly: “Now that you’re here, sit. Dinner is about to be served.”
Closing her book, Jiang Lihua offered a nod toward He Yanzhou.
Today she wore a dark green qipao, her hair styled immaculately into a bun, her makeup flawless, yet her gaze was entirely vacant—resembling a gorgeous porcelain doll.
He Yanzhou took a seat opposite them.
On the television, the Spring Festival Gala warm-up program was roaring with energy, the hosts’ laughter ringing out wave after wave. The domestic staff glided in and out carrying dishes with hushed footsteps, accentuating the intimidating silence of the ancestral home.
The dining table featured an abundant spread, immaculately plated.
He Xinli inquired about several corporate projects, which He Yanzhou answered succinctly.
Jiang Lihua remained silent throughout, eating quietly, occasionally placing food into Jiang Cai’s bowl beside her. Jiang Cai had been summoned back yesterday; at this moment, she kept her head low, eating fiercely to minimize her presence.
He Xinli suddenly asked, “I heard you bid on a necklace?”
“Mm.”
“Who did you give it to?”
He Yanzhou’s chopsticks paused for a split second: “A friend.”
He Xinli cast a sharp, piercing gaze toward him: “What kind of friend requires you to drop sixty million?”
“I liked it, so I bought it.”
He Xinli stared at him for a few seconds before suddenly letting out a chuckle, indistinguishable whether it carried mockery or something else: “Suit yourself. In any case, you earned the money yourself.”
These words sounded like a hands-off approach, yet they carried thorns. He Xinli himself possessed a predatory, taking nature; watching his son drop a fortune for a so-called friend made it uncertain whether he was faintly recalling his own unsavory past, or mocking his eldest son for following in his footsteps.
Jiang Lihua never lifted her head, quietly consuming her final bite of food before setting down her utensils: “I am finished. Please take your time.”
He Xinli’s expression darkened slightly, but he didn’t utter a word. After all these years, he knew speaking was futile.
Jiang Cai stealthily peeked at He Yanzhou, mouthing the words: “Brother, I’m full. Going back to my room first.”
He Yanzhou nodded.
Only the father and son remained in the dining room. He Xinli poured a glass of wine to sip slowly, while He Yanzhou lost his appetite entirely, setting down his chopsticks.
He Yanzhou stood up: “Dad, I am finished as well.”
He Xinli waved his hand dismissed.
He Yanzhou turned to head upstairs.
His room was situated on the eastern wing of the second floor, permanently vacant yet swept daily, clean to the point of lacking any living essence. Shedding his overcoat and tossing it onto the sofa, He Yanzhou walked over to the window to light a cigarette.
The night deepened, and fireworks began detonating in the direction of the city center further away, flashing rhythmically.
The phone vibrated a few times—New Year greetings, a mountain of superficial pleasantries.
Dismissing the notifications, He Yanzhou tapped open Moyu.
The chat interface remained frozen on last night—the photo Little Peach had sent with cream smudged on her face. The warm yellow light, the slightly chaotic background, that spec of cream at the corner of her lips, and those brilliant eyes.
Vibrant, authentic.
Entirely distinct from this exquisite, freezing cage he currently occupied.
Guided by a strange impulse, he fired off a message.
Yan: What are you doing?
Back in the dorm, Qiao Yan was sitting cross-legged on his bed, munching on potato chips while streaming the Spring Festival Gala.
Both Cao Jingtong and Qin Zhi had gone home for the New Year, leaving barely a soul on this entire floor. He originally wanted to play his game, but the servers were down for maintenance, forcing him to stream dramas instead.
When his phone vibrated, he was currently cringe-curling his toes over a terrible comedy sketch.
Seeing it was a message from Yan, Qiao Yan blinked, tossed the chip bag aside, and wiped his fingers.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Watching the Spring Festival Gala! Has daddy eaten New Year’s Eve dinner yet?
Yan: Mm.
Such a brief reply, Qiao Yan curled his lips and continued typing.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Is it lively over on daddy’s side? Are there any fireworks?
This time, the other side paused for a stretch.
Yan: Not lively.
Yan: Very quiet.
Staring at these two lines, Qiao Yan sharply detected that He Yanzhou’s mood seemed rather suppressed.
It’s the grand New Year, and the sugar daddy is in a foul mood?
This won’t do, my lucky money depends entirely on him!
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Is daddy unhappy? It’s the New Year, you ought to be blissful!
Yan: No.
Liar! Qiao Yan wrinkled his nose, his fingers tapping across the screen furiously.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Daddy is lying! Little Peach can feel it!
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Was the New Year dinner at home terrible? Or is the Gala too boring?
Yan: Neither.
Yan: Just feel it’s rather meaningless.
Looking at this sentence, Qiao Yan suddenly dazed slightly.
He hadn’t gone home for the New Year either. Though it was his own stubborn pride that kept him away, looking at the hollow dorm and hearing the faint traces of celebration outside inevitably left his heart feeling a bit hollow.
Turns out the old man finds things meaningless too.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Then what does daddy want to do? Little Peach will keep you company!
Feeling it sounded a bit too direct after sending, he hastily supplemented a meme.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: [Kitten peeking out.jpg]
Gazing at that round-headed cat expression, the corners of He Yanzhou’s mouth curled up completely unprompted.
Yan: How do you wish to keep me company?
Qiao Yan’s eyes lit up—it was working.
His gears turned rapidly.
Direct video call? No way, last night’s shadow still loomed. Play games? Servers are undergoing maintenance.
Then what else could they do?
Aha!
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Does daddy want to hear Little Peach sing? Although I don’t sing well, I can make daddy happy!
Qiao Yan personally believed his singing capabilities were absolutely flawless.
Yan: You know how to sing?
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: A little bit! What does daddy want to hear? Pop songs? Nursery rhymes? Or a cute song Little Peach made up!
Yan: Anything.
Qiao Yan cleared his throat, activated his voice changer, and meticulously adjusted the parameters to ensure the sweetness level was maximized.
Then, pressing down on the voice note button, he hummed a lighthearted, breezy tune. It was a melody his mother used to coax him to sleep when he was a child—lacking concrete lyrics, simply a sequence of soft “la~ la~ la~”. His voice sounded velvety and tender; the pitch drifted a bit off-course, yet it exuded a profoundly endearing, dorky charm.
A thirty-second voice note was delivered.
After sending it, Qiao Yan listened to it himself first, shuddering slightly from the sheer high-pitched sweetness, but for the sake of lucky money, he endured.
The response came swiftly from the other end.
Yan: Out of tune.
Ugh.
Qiao Yan: “…”
Does this old man even know how to hold a conversation!
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: QAQ Daddy is disdaining me!
Yan: No.
Yan: Quite cute.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Then is daddy a bit happier now?
Gazing at this sentence, He Yanzhou’s fingertips lingered over the screen.
Little Peach was genuinely worried about him.
It wasn’t flattery, nor was it perfunctory compliance; it was that incredibly simple form of care that said, “I want to make you happy.”
This brand of pure goodwill was something he had encountered rarely, if ever, throughout his past several decades of life.
Yan: Mm. A bit better.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Yay! Here comes another one!
This time Qiao Yan switched to a more upbeat nursery rhyme, even adding a childish clapping rhythm himself. Halfway through he couldn’t help but break into a giggle, his voice sweet and soft, resembling a coat of honey.
Leaning against the window frame, He Yanzhou listened to the singing pouring from his phone. The freezing night outside seemed to thaw a fraction.
He suddenly inquired.
Yan: Are you spending the New Year alone?
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Yes! My roommates all went home, so it’s just me in the dorm.
Yan: Not going home?
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Just didn’t want to go back.
After sending these words, Qiao Yan pursed his lips. He harbored zero desire to discuss his messy family drama with Yan; that was his own wound, and there was no reason to rip it open for others to inspect—not even for a sugar daddy.
Fortunately, He Yanzhou didn’t pry further.
Yan: Have you eaten?
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Eaten! Ordered a massive mountain of takeout! Crawfish, skewers, milk tea… burp, I am so stuffed right now.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: [Kitten rubbing its belly.jpg]
He Yanzhou could practically visualize a stuffed kitten slumped on a sofa, rubbing its belly with a satisfied squint.
Yan: Eat less of that. It’s bad for your stomach.
Hmph, mind your own business.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Understood, understood~ Daddy sounds exactly like my father, worrying so much.
Yan: …
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Just kidding! Daddy is the youngest and most handsome!
After sending the text, Qiao Yan rolled across the bed while clutching his phone. The sounds of fireworks outside grew denser. Bounding off the bed, he walked to the window and drew back the curtains.
The night sky was illuminated intermittently by the distant pyrotechnics—red, green, purple, blue, exploding one after another.
He resolved to share the beautiful scenery of the fireworks with his sugar daddy. Once He Yanzhou’s mood peaked, the lucky money tomorrow would undoubtedly be significantly handsomer, hehehe.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Can daddy see fireworks over there? There are so many people setting them off here, it’s gorgeous!
He Yanzhou lifted his gaze toward the courtyard. The ancestral He estate was remotely situated, with barely any neighbors nearby setting off fireworks; only the direction of the distant city center occasionally offered a shred of fleeting radiance.
Yan: Can’t see much.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Then I’ll show daddy!
Hoisting his phone, Qiao Yan recorded a ten-second clip facing the window.
The lens was slightly shaky, capturing a corner of the dorm building alongside the fireworks cascading continuously across the night sky, punctuated by Qiao Yan’s soft, joyful exclamation: “Whoa, that one is massive!”
The video was delivered.
He Yanzhou clicked it open.
A shaky lens, chaotic background noise, gorgeous yet blurred fireworks in the distance, paired with that vibrant exclamation.
Warm, authentic, pulsing with a blistering essence of real life.
An absolute antithesis to this prison behind him, where even breathing felt fettered.
Yan: Very beautiful.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Right, right? It’s a pity daddy can’t see it live, otherwise it would definitely be even more spectacular!
Qiao Yan tapped his fingers across the screen, brainstorming more phrases to entertain his sugar daddy, when a massive roar of commotion suddenly erupted outside the window.
“It’s almost midnight!” he heard someone shouting down below.
Genuinely!
Qiao Yan hastily checked the time—only two minutes remaining until twelve.
He instantly toggled back to the chat interface, his fingers moving at lightning speed.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Daddy! It’s almost midnight!
Yan: Mm.
Little Peach Bites Real Hard: Let’s countdown together! Even though we aren’t in the same place, we can welcome the New Year together!
After sending this, he felt he was a total genius—exhibiting enthusiasm without coming across as overly clingy.
He Yanzhou stared at the text, then lifted his eyes to look at the silent courtyard outside, and that second-floor window that permanently emitted a cold, detached light.
The phone vibrated—it was a direct voice call invitation initiated by Little Peach Bites Real Hard.
He Yanzhou paused for a beat, then pressed accept.
“Daddy? Can you hear me?” Little Peach’s ecstatic voice poured from the earpiece, accompanied by the faint, chaotic chatter in her background.
He Yanzhou offered a hum, his voice instinctively softening a fraction, “Mm.”
“Then let’s begin!” Little Peach’s voice was sweet and resonant. “Can you hear the countdown from my end over there? It’s a bit loud…”
It was indeed audible—the sound of a large crowd gathered together, distant and blurry, yet radiating a warm, comforting buzz of excitement.
“I can hear it.”
“Ten—Nine—Eight—”
The distant countdown of the crowd carried over clearly. Little Peach chimed in alongside them; her voice wasn’t booming, yet it brimmed with pure, unadulterated joy.
Leaning against the window frame, listening to the blended commotion and Little Peach’s crystal-clear voice, He Yanzhou looked out at the deadly, freezing stillness belonging to the ancestral He estate.
“Seven—Six—Five—”
Little Peach counted down meticulously, the trailing notes arching upward slightly.
He Yanzhou looked at the phone screen, which displayed the active call timer ticking upward second by second.
At a certain flash of a moment, he suddenly encountered a highly peculiar illusion.
It felt as though those freezing pieces of the past, this magnificent prison, and those suffocating instances of control and silence were all briefly cordoned off by this call traversing space.
What he held in his palm was a direct lifeline connecting to authentic warmth and vibrant, real life.
“Four—Three—Two—One—!”
“Happy New Year!!!”
A colossal roar of cheers and deafening strings of firecrackers exploded simultaneously, practically rupturing the earpiece. Little Peach shouted right along: “Daddy! Happy New Year!!!”
He Yanzhou could easily visualize her current state; her eyes must be shining like stars, her cheeks presumably flushed with excitement, and perhaps she had even leaped in place.
Clutching the phone, listening to the boiling frenzy on the other end, a certain rigid, freezing corner within his heart collapsed entirely without warning.
An unprecedented wave of tender emotion surged upward, interlaced with impulse, alongside a yearning he couldn’t entirely articulate himself.
Against the background noise of yet another wave of fireworks detonating, he heard his own voice emerge, significantly warmer than usual.
“Little Peach.”
“Huh? What’s wrong, daddy?” The voice on the other end was still slightly breathless, evidently from shouting too hard just now.
He Yanzhou watched the final remnants of the firework glow dissolve into the night sky, his surroundings plunging back into silence, leaving only the residue of excitement echoing from the phone.
He remained quiet for two seconds before speaking softly.
“I want to pursue you.”