Shu Qiao moved into his new home.
The apartment was a top-floor duplex in the city center, with private elevator access per floor and a rooftop sky garden.
Pei Jinghe was very busy with work, leaving early and returning late. When he was full of energy, he would toss and finish with him over and over again, front and back like rolling pancakes, refusing to let go even until his fair belly bulged slightly. Sometimes, he would just hold him to sleep, like holding a soft pillow.
Morning sunlight streamed into the double bed. Shu Qiao sat up in a daze, his pajamas pushed up to reveal his soft, slender waist, still marked with varying shades of finger-pinches.
“Waking up so early?” Pei Jinghe frowned, and while still half-asleep, reached out to knead and pinch his thighs. The plump, soft flesh felt great to the touch, like milk pudding.
Shu Qiao shrank his body and pushed his hand away. “I have to go to class today! Bro, this professor is super strict, and pop quizzes even count toward the final grade…”
Pei Jinghe let go of him, his eyes gradually clearing. “Financial Engineering?”
“Hey, how do you even remember that.”
The moment he was released, Shu Qiao scrambled out of bed swiftly, stepping barefoot on the wooden floor.
Pei Jinghe propped himself up on his elbows in bed, his gaze landing on Shu Qiao’s slightly curled toes. “Put your shoes on. The floor is cold.”
Still bossing him around about everything.
Shu Qiao complained inwardly, but his face wore a sweet, well-behaved smile. “Okay~ Bro, you care about me so much.”
“I remember your schedule,” Pei Jinghe answered his previous question. “I’ll drive you to school today.”
“Huh? …That’s wonderful, thanks, bro.”
While smiling, Shu Qiao couldn’t help feeling a chill down his spine. For Pei Jinghe to say he wanted to master his basic itinerary and actually follow through to this extent… he couldn’t even memorize his own class schedule!
What a stalker! He muttered under his breath again.
The car interior was spacious and comfortable. Shu Qiao sat in the passenger seat, watching the street views fly backward outside the window.
“Does this road look familiar?”
Shu Qiao tilted his head. “Yeah.”
He used to work part-time at a nearby milk tea shop, and his commute always took him past here. The trees along the road were lush and green, lined with bustling shops full of urban charm.
“You used to send me pictures of the park here, the little diner you liked, and the dessert shop you frequented,” Pei Jinghe said in a calm voice. “So, I’m very familiar with it too. Though you probably don’t remember.”
…Crap, here comes the cross-examination.
“How could I not remember! It’s because I liked you, so I wanted to share everything with you,” Shu Qiao smiled submissively and shyly, praying this topic would end right here.
But Pei Jinghe was indeed petty!
His next sentence was, “So, the reason you gave for breaking up is something I still can’t accept, Shu Qiao.”
Shu Qiao bit his lip and didn’t dare to make a sound.
Memories rushed back like a tidal wave.
Back then, he had just turned nineteen, and his father’s gambling debts were rolling up like a snowball. Shu Qiao had tried all legitimate ways of working part-time, but the money he earned wasn’t even enough to cover the interest. Driven to desperation, he registered a live-streaming account.
That day, he matched with a male streamer named “Lilian” during a PK battle. The battle bar was one-sided right from the start. Lilian’s top donor dropped ten rocket gifts in one breath, crushing his health bar down until Shu Qiao’s side was barely visible.
Lilian blew a kiss to the camera. “You on the other side, just admit defeat? You can’t win anyway, don’t waste everyone’s time.”
Right at that moment, a user entered the live stream.
Their level was only 1, and they were using a foreign IP.
The chat gradually picked up, and people started sending him small gifts. With the last thirty seconds left in the PK, Lilian’s bar had compressed Shu Qiao down to a sliver of life.
“Oh my, looks like victory is decided!”
Lilian laughed so hard he swayed.
Suddenly,
[User “H” sent “Spacecraft” x1]
The platform wide special effects exploded, and Shu Qiao’s health bar rocketed back up, instantly crushing Lilian’s.
The live stream went silent for three seconds, and then the chat completely blew up! Shu Qiao was also stunned silly.
Lilian turned off his broadcast in a panic, and only the dazzling special effects continued to loop on screen.
Shu Qiao sent Pei Jinghe a private message: “Thanks, bro, but the platform takes a huge cut. Want to add WeChat?”
After adding each other as friends, Shu Qiao checked his Moments, completely blank. The profile picture was the default system icon, and the nickname “H” was simple.
He sent a selfie over: “Thanks for today, big brother!”
The photo didn’t show his face, but his shirt covered him down to his thighs, his waist so slender it looked like it could be gripped by two hands, and his skin was fair and tender, making people want to leave marks on him.
The other side replied after a few seconds: “Is this you?”
“Yes, big brother.”
They slowly grew closer. Shu Qiao knew Pei Jinghe was studying abroad and wouldn’t return easily in the short term, which gave him great peace of mind.
From their first phone call, video call, to later keeping microphone chats connected almost twenty-four hours a day.
Long-distance relationships had no burdens, and Pei Jinghe was generous with his money, taking his online romance very seriously, acting as if spending money on a lover was as natural as eating and drinking.
If Pei Jinghe hadn’t brought up meeting in person, Shu Qiao wouldn’t even have thought about breaking up.
He could play around however he wanted across the screen, but reality hadn’t prepared him to get completely devoured yet. Besides, he had gambling debts to pay off, who had time for a real 1-on-1 relationship?
After that came cold violence and disappearing acts, things Shu Qiao executed smoothly.
The reason for breaking up was also high-sounding: “My family owes too much money, I don’t want to drag you down.”
“How much?”
Shu Qiao wanted to say some astronomical figure to scare him off, so he blurted out, “Eight million.”
To his surprise, Pei Jinghe immediately said: “Send me your account number.”
What does that mean? Is Pei Jinghe going to take out an online loan for me?
Shu Qiao usually felt thrilled when thousands or tens of thousands were transferred, but he never expected Pei Jinghe to actually have that much money. If he had that, why play online dating games at all?
He took the win while he could, blocked him, deleted him, and closed the live stream account in one fluid motion.
The air conditioning in the car gave Shu Qiao goosebumps on his arms.
He snapped back to reality and found Pei Jinghe looking at him through the rearview mirror.
“Why did you stop?” Pei Jinghe asked.
Shu Qiao took a deep breath, replacing his expression with tearful, pitiful eyes. “I didn’t want you to feel like I was a burden…”
“So you said you didn’t love me anymore?” Pei Jinghe’s tone lacked any emotion.
“Because that’s the only way you’d give up!” Shu Qiao bit his lip pathetically, looking entirely considerate of the other person. “I cried every single night when we broke up, big brother, but I didn’t dare tell you the truth for fear you’d despise me…”
The car stopped at a red light.
Pei Jinghe’s gaze carried scrutiny and doubt, along with a lofty, superior stance, his thin lips pressed tightly together.
In the end, though, he reached out, his thumb brushing away the tears at the corner of Shu Qiao’s eye. “I believe you.”
?
Just like that? He had just gotten into character and hadn’t finished acting yet.
Shu Qiao looked at him blankly.
Pei Jinghe pulled his hand back and looked forward again. “As long as you behave and stay by my side, I won’t ignore you.”
Shu Qiao hurriedly gave a very well-behaved “Okay.”
A Bentley stopped at the school gate, drawing frequent glances from the surrounding crowd.
Shu Qiao unbuckled his seatbelt and politely thanked him after getting out: “Bro, thanks for dropping me off.”
He was so eager to draw a line, terrified others might misunderstand.
Before he had even taken a few steps out of the car, his wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Pei Jinghe’s palm was warm, his grip heavy, pinching him slightly tight: “I’ll accompany you to class.”
Shu Qiao’s heart skipped a beat, he hadn’t expected the workaholic to be this idle today. Being grabbed by the wrist like this drew many curious gazes, and his scalp tightened as he instinctively said, “Don’t let people see…”
Pei Jinghe’s expression darkened.
“Afraid of being seen?”
Shu Qiao’s brain spun rapidly, immediately switching to a vulnerable, aggrieved expression. “If people find out I have a boyfriend as handsome and rich as you, they’ll definitely spread rumors about me, saying I’m kept or climbing up high branches…”
His voice grew smaller, his eyelashes fluttering down before he looked up again, his expression shifting to a considerate, earnest plea. “More importantly, being with me isn’t good for your reputation.”
The back of the hand Pei Jinghe kept at his side flexed with bulging veins. “So what? Should I say we’re ordinary friends?”
Shu Qiao swallowed his grievances and nodded, looking like a man with the bigger picture in mind.
In reality, he wasn’t afraid of gossip at all, nothing anyone said could affect him.
It’s just that once their relationship was public, how could he maintain his single persona? Wouldn’t all those potential, unhooked backups go down the drain?
While Shu Qiao was calculating, his wrist was yanked hard, and Pei Jinghe dragged him into the grove beside the teaching building.
This patch of trees was a famous “couple’s corner” on campus, not completely empty during the day, but far from crowded.
The next second, he was pressed against the trunk of a parasol tree.
Pei Jinghe put a hand behind his head, but the force still caused his back to slam in a bit painfully. Before he could react, Pei Jinghe grabbed his neck and kissed him fiercely.
Shu Qiao parted his lips in pain, and Pei Jinghe’s hot, slick tongue slid into his mouth, capturing his tongue root for a deep suck. Shu Qiao endured passively, his fingers clutching helplessly at Pei Jinghe’s cuffs.
Students chatting and laughing could be heard in the distance, getting closer.
“Mmh…”
Fearing discovery, Shu Qiao instinctively struggled in panic, pressing both hands against Pei Jinghe’s chest to push him away, but it was like a mayfly trying to shake a tree.
Pei Jinghe sucked on his lips and tongue over and over, his aggressive male aura scalding his scalp, melting his bones into a puddle. He couldn’t support his trembling body, putting all his weight onto that solid arm clamping him in place.
“Do we look like ordinary friends now?”
Pei Jinghe finally let him go after kissing his fill, using his thumb to wipe the saliva from the corner of Shu Qiao’s mouth with a deep gaze.
“You, ”
Shu Qiao was so angry his teeth were grinding, but under Pei Jinghe’s gaze, he gradually relaxed his expression and swallowed his anger.
Better keep this sugar daddy stable first.
Instead of answering directly, he touched his swollen lips, whining with a soft, clingy voice, “Husband, my mouth hurts.”
The lecture hall was already more than half full. When Shu Qiao and Pei Jinghe walked in, it caused a small commotion.
Pei Jinghe’s attire and aura were completely out of place here, his impeccably tailored black suit, polished leather shoes, and excessively striking face made it impossible for people to look away.
Shu Qiao found a seat near the back, and Pei Jinghe naturally sat beside him, pulling a tablet out of his briefcase. He really looked like he was here to audit the class seriously.
“Last class we talked about the Capital Asset Pricing Model,” the professor on the podium pushed up his glasses. “Now, let’s randomly call someone to repeat the basic formula.”
The classroom fell instantly silent, everyone staring down to pretend to flip through their books.
The professor’s gaze swept across the room and finally stopped on Shu Qiao. “The boy by the window, yes, right, you.”
What kind of luck is this?! Shu Qiao’s heart skipped a beat.
He had skipped this class last week to pick up odd jobs, and he had only skimmed those formulas in the textbook, he couldn’t remember them at all.
He stood up slowly, his mind completely blank. Surrounding classmates cast sympathetic or amused looks, and he could feel Pei Jinghe’s gaze landing on him too.
“The Capital Asset Pricing Model…” Shu Qiao began with difficulty. “The formula is… it’s…”
The person beside him casually tilted his screen over.
E(R_i) = R_f + beta_i[E(R_m) – R_f]
Just reading it out loud was a struggle.
“Not bad.”
The professor let him sit down with satisfaction. Shu Qiao breathed a sigh of relief and made a “thanks, bro” mouth gesture toward Pei Jinghe.
Shu Qiao listened intently for the next two classes, he still really needed this diploma. After class, all the students left, and he stayed behind for a bit to organize his notes, almost forgetting Pei Jinghe was still sitting next to him.
There was a part he couldn’t figure out, and he scratched his head in frustration. Pei Jinghe casually explained a few sentences for him.
With that gentle, magnetic voice ringing in his ear, Shu Qiao’s face warmed up. He pressed his palms together: “Thanks, bro, you’re really amazing.”
That sentence was genuinely sincere.
“If you don’t understand something next time, you can ask me directly,” Pei Jinghe closed his tablet. “It’s more convenient than asking classmates.”
Shu Qiao paused, then realized, Oh right! Pei Jinghe is way better than those classmates. He didn’t have to worry about being mocked for “not understanding something so simple,” didn’t have to buy milk tea as thanks after asking for help, and didn’t owe favors.
A free, online-anytime, top-tier problem-solving machine.
His gaze toward Pei Jinghe instantly became incomparably fervent.
His sugar daddy was adjusting his cuffs, his side profile looking sharp and cold under the classroom fluorescent lights, completely unaware that he had become a perfect utility tool in Shu Qiao’s eyes.
Right at that moment, a familiar voice rang out from the classroom door: “Qiaoqiao!”
Shu Qiao turned his head and saw Pei Du standing at the door, holding two cups of milk tea. His smile froze the instant he caught sight of Pei Jinghe.
“Bro?” Pei Du’s expression shifted from surprise to confusion. “Why are you here?”
Pei Jinghe stood up and said calmly, “Auditing. Something the matter?”
“No…” Pei Du’s gaze darted back and forth between Shu Qiao and Pei Jinghe, finally landing on Shu Qiao. “Qiaoqiao, I came to find you! Why did you throw me in the hotel and run off the other night? I was planning to…”
He paused, his face blushing slightly. “I was planning to tell you something.”
Shu Qiao felt the air pressure around him dropping lower and lower. He quickly stood up: “I’ll talk! Pei Du, let’s go outside.”
There were only the two of them in the corridor corner.
“You drank too much that day,” Shu Qiao whispered. “I saw you fell asleep, so I went back first.”
“But I was all set…” Pei Du’s voice dropped, looking extremely shy. “I was planning to confess to you. Who knew you’d keep telling me to hang out with others and just drink happily…”
…!?
You wanted to confess and you drank that much?!
Shu Qiao clenched his fingers speechlessly, but things had come to this. He lowered his eyes.
“Pei Du, I’m sorry, I really have no choice. Your brother won’t let us be together…”
Pei Du was stunned. “What?”
Shu Qiao timely grabbed his hand, his eyes shimmering with tears. “We might not be destined in this lifetime… but I will always remember how good you were to me…”
Acting a bit too hard here.
Pei Du’s look became odd, it was obvious he wasn’t buying this routine. Shu Qiao instantly pulled back his tears.
He reached out and gently patted Pei Du’s cheek, his expression as gentle as soothing a little puppy: “I’ll love you like a sister-in-law from now on, okay?”
Pei Du froze completely. Looking at Shu Qiao, as if he suddenly understood something, he immediately ran back into the empty classroom and shoved the door open with a loud bang! “Bro! What do you mean by this?!”
Shu Qiao nervously followed after him. Ignoring Pei Du, Pei Jinghe walked right up to Shu Qiao and naturally wrapped an arm around his waist. “Now you know? Stay away from him from now on.”
Pei Du stared at the hand embracing Shu Qiao’s waist, feeling like a usurper had stolen his nest, he found his brother utterly hateful! He gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with fury. “Bro, do you think you’ve won? Do you think Qiaoqiao actually likes you?”
Pei Jinghe’s grip tightened.
Shu Qiao was also startled.
“You have nothing except money!” Pei Du declared forcefully. “What Qiaoqiao hates most about people like you is this! Qiaoqiao said he doesn’t care about poverty or wealth when loving someone, he only wants a genuine heart!”
Shu Qiao awkwardly scratched his palm.
Haha… Green tea acting went a bit too far.
“You’re just a cold-blooded workaholic!” Pei Du continued unloading. “You only look at interests with everyone! You’ll never make Qiaoqiao happy!”
Pei Jinghe’s expression finally shifted. His jawline tightened, his gaze as cold as ice.
“Finished?” he asked.
“Not yet.” Pei Du seemed to have thrown caution to the wind. “Bro, you know what I look down on you for the most? It’s that you clearly have someone in your heart, yet you still come to mess with Qiaoqiao.”
The air suddenly froze.
Shu Qiao felt the arm Pei Jinghe had around his waist stiffen for a split second.
“What did you say?” Pei Jinghe’s voice was cold as frozen ice.
“I said,” Pei Du repeated, “you have a white moonlight. Don’t you still have his pictures in your photo album? When you get drunk, you still call out his name, saying you miss him. Who do you think doesn’t know about these things?”