The first thing Shuo Qiao did when he got back to the apartment was send a WeChat message to Pei Du.
“That ‘first love’ you mentioned just now, can you tell me more about it?”
After sending the message, Shuo Qiao sat cross legged on the sofa, hugging a throw pillow and waiting for a reply.
To be honest, he didn’t feel hurt or jealous at all. What he had with Pei Jinghe was a transaction to begin with, so why talk about feelings?
However, he was very interested in this piece of gossip. If he could grasp Pei Jinghe’s “weakness,” he might even be able to use it as a bargaining chip if they ever needed to break up in the future.
His phone buzzed.
Pei Du sent a voice message. “You really want to know?”
Qiao: “Yeah, yeah, just curious!”
“Actually, I don’t know much about it either. It was about two years ago, when my older brother was still studying in the UK, and he had an online relationship with someone. Named… Su Su? Yeah, Su Su.”
Shuo Qiao’s smile froze on his face.
…Su Su.
That was the fake name he had used when he was dating online.
“Can anyone named Su Su be a good person, right? My brother was completely obsessed, wholeheartedly wanting to be with him. Then, for some reason, that person suddenly blocked him, and my brother searched for him like a madman. But the scammer’s name was fake, and all his contact information was changed, he vanished into thin air.”
Shuo Qiao’s fingers trembled slightly.
Pei Du: “My brother searched for him for a full half-year. During that half-year, his state was exceptionally poor, he worked himself to the bone and would stare at that photo on his phone whenever he got drunk. He only slowly returned to normal after they truly couldn’t find him.”
“If that scammer ever falls into my brother’s hands… given his personality, he definitely won’t let that person off. They’ll probably end up skinned and deboned.”
Shuo Qiao stared at that last sentence, cold sweat beading on his back.
Ahhhhh, skinned and deboned!
Although it was an exaggerated way of putting it, knowing Pei Jinghe’s personality, he definitely wouldn’t let him off easily either.
Qiao: “Haha, how terrifying…”
He gave a dry laugh and quickly found an excuse: “I suddenly remembered I have something to do, I’ll stop chatting for now!”
Putting down his phone, Shuo Qiao sat on the sofa for a long time.
Outside the window, dusk was gradually falling. The living room was unlit, and in the dim light, he lay motionless on the bed playing dead.
Pei Jinghe’s “first love” was none other than himself.
What kind of absurd, melodramatic plot was this?
Shuo Qiao covered his face, his heart in complete turmoil. Better to just pretend he didn’t know anything!
His junior year schedule was very relaxed, with classes only two days a week.
During the day, Pei Jinghe went to the company, leaving Shuo Qiao alone in the large flat. At first, it was quite nice, but after living there for a few days, things started to feel off.
It was like walking into the pages of an architectural magazine, the apartment was too big and too empty. The decoration was a cold, hard black, white, and gray style, and the furniture was as neat as a show apartment, completely devoid of any warmth or human touch.
It was fine when someone was keeping him company, but being left all alone made it feel very desolate.
Since Pei Jinghe wouldn’t let him look for part-time jobs everywhere anymore, he went out to wander around aimlessly whenever he didn’t want to stay at home.
And then he received a new task assigned by his “sugar daddy.”
Pei Jinghe was like an NPC in a video game, clicking on the chat box would trigger a new speech bubble overhead: “Where you went every day and who you met, you must report all of it to me.”
Shuo Qiao twitched the corner of his mouth. “Isn’t this a bit too strict…”
Was he majoring in finance, or had he somehow enrolled in a military academy?
Was the price of living in a luxury mansion being subjected to military-style management?
“This clause is in the agreement,” Pei Jinghe said as if it were only natural. “If you can’t do it, I’ll install surveillance cameras in the house.”
Shuo Qiao: “…”
Will someone please teach this guy how to raise a pet canary? He didn’t want to be managed like an elementary school student!
Fine, the sugar daddy’s demands, he’d just have to endure them.
“I can do it!” Shuo Qiao hurriedly expressed his compliance, even sending a little rabbit holding a sign that read “I’m super good.”
So starting from that day, he began his elementary school diary-style reporting career.
After a few days, Shuo Qiao felt in a daze like his true form was a traveling frog.
Every time he finished sending a report, Shuo Qiao would roll his eyes in his heart.
However, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him one day: since Pei Jinghe demanded he report everything, could he also make demands of Pei Jinghe?
Shuo Qiao sent a WeChat message to Pei Jinghe: “Darling, I think this isn’t fair.”
“I want to know what you’re doing too!”
The moment he sent it, he regretted it. The question was way too overstepping, when was a sugar daddy’s itinerary ever up to him to question?
To his surprise, however, Pei Jinghe replied quickly.
H: “Alright. Just finished a meeting.”
“Having lunch with a client.”
“Back at the company.”
“Still have a negotiation this afternoon.”
Shuo Qiao stared at that string of messages for a long time. Then he realized, Pei Jinghe seemed… very happy?
Is this guy having a massive outburst of submissive tendencies?!
Over the next few days, no matter what Pei Jinghe was doing, he would proactively report to him. Even if he took a five-minute break in the middle of a meeting, he would send a message saying “halftime break,” take a photo of drinking a glass of water and send it over, and even when working out,
Shuo Qiao tapped open the photo Pei Jinghe sent.
A mirror selfie from the private gym. His phone blocked his face, leaving only a sharply chiseled jawline. The sturdy, well-built arms had bulging veins, and his upper torso was bare, displaying neat, well-defined eight-pack abs and smooth, powerful mermaid lines under the lights.
Just looking at it screamed boundless energy.
Ahhhhh, now this is what I like!
This was Shuo Qiao’s first time being thoroughly satisfied with Pei Jinghe’s check-ins! He saved the photo in a flash and asked, “Are there more?”
After looking at a few pictures, it still didn’t feel like enough, so he acted spoiled and asked Pei Jinghe to take time out of his busy schedule to send him a video.
Pei Jinghe was entirely responsive to his requests, sending over two short videos that afternoon.
In the first one, he was wearing a black athletic tank top, doing pull-ups. His back muscles tightened and flexed with the movement, his arm muscles tracing smooth, clean lines, and sweat slid down his neck, disappearing deep into his collar.
The second video showed him doing barbell flat bench presses. The fierce muscles of his forearms bulged with exertion, and the recording device had been placed very low. This angle happened to provide a clear view of a very prominent bulge between his legs.
As the video ended, Pei Jinghe raised one eyebrow slightly at the camera.
Shuo Qiao stared at that raised eyebrow, his heart skipping two beats faster than normal.
Good-looking. Loved to see it.
Now this was a program the general public would love to watch!
From now on, all reports should be sent like this. He would never put Pei Jinghe on “Do Not Disturb” or find him annoying ever again.
On the contrary, he even felt a little secret anticipation, like waiting for a favorite video blogger to upload new content.
Shuo Qiao watched the video several times, even catching a hint of a panting breath during the pull-ups, as if that sexy gasp were lingering right by his ear. A tingling, electric numbness coursed from his tailbone straight up to his scalp.
Shuo Qiao rubbed his mouth and replied: “Bro, your body is so nice. I want to touch!”
Anyway, they were separated by a screen, so flirting a little wouldn’t hurt, right?
But he underestimated Pei Jinghe’s execution skills.
As soon as the message went out, his phone buzzed again.
H: “Come back tonight and you can touch.”
Shuo Qiao: “…”
He had played with fire and gotten burned.
That very evening, Pei Jinghe came back earlier than usual. Before Shuo Qiao could escape, he was pinned to the sofa.
“Didn’t you want to touch?” Pei Jinghe grabbed his hand and pressed it against his abs. “Touch.”
Did he really have to be this proactive?!
The muscles beneath his palm were firm and warm, rising and falling slightly with his breath. Shuo Qiao’s cheeks heated up as the surrounding air felt like it was steaming with boiling heat, making him instinctively squeeze his thighs together.
“Why aren’t you talking anymore?” Pei Jinghe lowered his head and kissed his earlobe. “Weren’t you quite good at flirting during the day?”
…Whenever he encountered a difficult question, he would go silent again.
Shuo Qiao wanted to say he wasn’t flirting anymore, but the words stuck in his throat. Hardening his heart, his fingers slowly slid down along the contours of those abdominal muscles.
“Can I… touch here too?”
Pei Jinghe’s breathing instantly grew noticeably heavier.
…
Shuo Qiao was put through the ringer that night. Just before drifting off into an exhausted sleep, he dazedly thought: Next time, I’ll never dare flirt around casually again,
The next day at noon, he received a delivery package.
When he opened it, Shuo Qiao’s face instantly turned as red as a tomato. The box was packed with a bunch of small toys he had only ever seen on certain specialized websites, accompanied by a card bearing Pei Jinghe’s sharp handwriting.
“Courtesy demands reciprocity. Record a video for me to watch too.”
Who would have thought someone who looked so upright and proper had these kinds of kinks?
Clenching his teeth, Shuo Qiao grabbed the items and walked into the bedroom.
Two hours later, he buried himself in the duvet, too exhausted to even twitch a finger. His phone buzzed nearby with a message from Pei Jinghe:
“The video was shot well.”
“Next time we can try another one.”
Shuo Qiao didn’t even have the strength to curse, he just turned off his phone and went straight to sleep.
He had a dream.
In the dream, he was back in childhood, probably around seven or eight years old.
The house was packed with people, all of them creditors come to hound his father for money.
“No money, huh?” The leader of the men was holding a cleaver, smiling hideously. “Then we’ll use your son’s fingers to pay the debt!”
He was dragged forward, and his hand was pressed onto the chopping board. The cold wood pressed against his palm, and right above his head was the blinding flash of the blade.
“One finger is ten thousand, ten fingers are a hundred thousand,” the man sneered. “Teach your old man a lesson he won’t forget.”
Nearby, someone was heating a wok of oil, the boiling oil bubbling and making a sizzling sound.
“No… no…” He cried, trying to pull his hand back, but his strength was too small.
The knife was raised,
“No, !”
Shuo Qiao snapped his eyes open.
The bedroom was pitch black, with only a sliver of moonlight leaking through the curtains. He was drenched in cold sweat, his heart hammering wildly, his hand still frozen mid-air in the exact posture of being pinned down from his dream.
The door was pushed open.
“Qiao Qiao?” Pei Jinghe strode in and switched on the bedside lamp. As the warm yellow light spilled down, Shuo Qiao saw that he was still in his suit, looking as though he had just gotten back not long ago.
“Had a nightmare?” Pei Jinghe sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching out to touch his forehead. “You’re covered in sweat.”
Shuo Qiao hadn’t fully recovered from the nightmare yet, his body still trembling. He shook his head hard, biting his lower lip. Tension and fear intertwined, gripping his heart like a hand, he was terrified Pei Jinghe would discover his wretched and miserable past.
It took a long time for Shuo Qiao’s breathing to gradually stabilize, but he still gripped Pei Jinghe’s clothes tightly.
Pei Jinghe pulled him into his arms. The man’s chest was warm, his heartbeat steady and powerful. Leaning against his shoulder and catching the familiar woody scent on him, Shuo Qiao felt his tense nerves slowly relax.
“Be good.” Pei Jinghe didn’t ask any further questions, holding him and gently patting his back like he was coaxing a child.
After a moment, Shuo Qiao mumbled softly, “I’m fine now.”
“Go to sleep, I’ll stay with you a while longer.” Pei Jinghe’s voice was very low, sounding exceptionally gentle in the quiet night.
He lay down, pulled Shuo Qiao into his embrace, and began softly whispering a story to him.
The gentle, steady voice overlapped with memories of their late-night voice calls from before.
Listening made Shuo Qiao feel deeply at ease, his fingers that had been clutching the other person’s clothes slowly loosening.
Pei Jinghe looked down at the person in his arms, tear droplets still hanging on his long, dense eyelashes, though his breathing had grown somewhat steady.
His heart softened abruptly.
When Shuo Qiao grabbed his clothes like a drowning man grasping at a straw, he actually felt as if his own heart had been squeezed tight as well.
It was as if this person’s pain was being directly transmitted to him through some invisible connection.
And now, as Shuo Qiao’s fingers relaxed, he let out a breath of relief alongside him.
This feeling was very unfamiliar.
Pei Jinghe had always been a person who placed reason above all else, he hated dependency, he hated vulnerability, and he hated any emotions that might cloud his judgment. He had always regarded work as more important than anything else, believing that only success in his career was real.
Yet now, lying here and holding a Shuo Qiao who had been shivering from a nightmare, he actually felt that the impulse to protect him outweighed everything else.
He even found himself wondering if he was being too selfish, binding Shuo Qiao by his side with a piece of paper just to satisfy his own emotional needs.
What Pei Du had said that day echoed in his ears again.
Aside from money, what else could he give Shuo Qiao?
The thought gave Pei Jinghe pause. He never doubted the purposeful nature of his actions, but at this moment, he experienced doubt for the very first time.
When Shuo Qiao woke up, it was already noon the next day.
Sunlight streamed through the curtains, making the bedroom warm and bright. Sitting up, he found that Pei Jinghe wasn’t next to him.
Walking out of the bedroom, he heard the sound of typing coming from the study. The door was ajar, Pei Jinghe sat in front of the computer, conducting a video conference in fluent English.
Not wanting to disturb him, Shuo Qiao went to the kitchen to find something to eat. The cabinets were stuffed with snacks, but mindful of his strict body management, he only grabbed a carton of milk and sat down on the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window to sip it slowly.
Outside the window was the city’s most prosperous scenery, with towering skyscrapers and heavy traffic flowing like a river. But after watching for a moment, Shuo Qiao suddenly felt a bit depressed.
This apartment was too cold. The black, white, and gray tones, the stern-lined furniture, it lacked even a hint of warmth.
Just as he was thinking this, Pei Jinghe emerged from the study.
“Awake?” He walked over and sat down beside Shuo Qiao. “Hungry? I’ll have the housekeeper send up some food.”
Shuo Qiao shook his head, hesitated for a moment, and said, “Bro, I want to go back to school to live for a few days.”
Pei Jinghe’s gaze darkened. “Why?”
“It’s just… this place is too big, and living here alone is a bit…” Shuo Qiao faltered. “Plus, the decoration style is too cold, it puts me in a bad mood when I look at it.”
“Or… in the future, when you have needs, we can just go to a hotel? That way we won’t have to run back and forth.”
Pei Jinghe furrowed his brow, his eyes flashing with a gloomy shadow. Seeing that cold look made Shuo Qiao shiver again, but Pei Jinghe took a deep breath to soften his expression, afraid of startling him: “What kind of style do you like?”
Shuo Qiao was stunned. “Huh?”
“The decoration.” Pei Jinghe looked at him. “What colors do you like? What style?”
Taken aback by the question, Shuo Qiao instinctively replied, “Well… warmer colors? Off-white, wood tones, softer furniture, and maybe keeping some green plants…”
He had imagined his ideal home many times, which was why he could describe it so specifically, but the more he spoke, the less confident he felt, assuming Pei Jinghe would definitely think he was pushing his luck.
However, Pei Jinghe simply nodded. “Alright.”
A few days later, Pei Jinghe brought Shuo Qiao to a new address.
It was still a high-rise apartment, but in a better location with a wider view. When Pei Jinghe unlocked the door, Shuo Qiao froze the moment he stepped inside.
Warm beige walls, light gray fabric sofa, natural wood-toned furniture. Expansive floor-to-ceiling windows allowed sunlight to pour in, casting a warm glow over the soft carpets. Several lush green plants stood thriving by the window.
It was an exact match for what he had casually described the other day.
“Do you like it?” Pei Jinghe asked.
Shuo Qiao opened his mouth, taking a long time before managing to squeeze out: “I like it. Bro, did you just buy this place?”
“I just replaced some of the furniture.” Pei Jinghe pulled him into the living room. “You’ll live here from now on, and it’s closer to school, too.”
Shuo Qiao walked around the apartment. The bedroom bed was softer than the previous one, his major textbooks were already neatly arranged on the study desk, and even the refrigerator was stocked with his favorite fruits.
He turned around to look at Pei Jinghe, an indescribable feeling welling up in his chest.
Pei Jinghe walked over, looking down at him. “Don’t say things like going to hotels again in the future, I’ll, ”
Not really listening to what he was saying, Shuo Qiao was completely immersed in the joy of moving into a new home, feeling like a dream was turning into reality.
He stood on tiptoe to plant a heavy kiss on Pei Jinghe’s cheek, leaning close to his ear and happily whispering, “Thank you, Hubby!”