Chen Xingdong reacted quickly, and Feng Xingyun had also thought of this angle at the same moment, but he was gracious enough not to expose Liu Duanhe’s bluff.
Amidst the pounding of his heartbeat, the option of calling Liu Duanhe out on the spot never even crossed his mind.
Hearing Chen Xingdong’s skepticism, his brow arched slightly, and with a provocative air, his other arm naturally draped itself around Liu Duanhe’s shoulder, pulling him into his embrace.
His dark eyes cold and heavy, he let out a disdainful snort and parted his lips to say, “What reason would we have to lie to you?”
Chen Xingdong exchanged a dark, brooding stare with Feng Xingyun before reluctantly forcing a faint smile, half-convinced. “Alright, Xiao He, I’ll keep waiting for you. Someone like him, such a bad temper, might even have violent tendencies. You should be careful.”
Chen Xingdong gave Feng Xingyun a once-over, his concern earnest and sincere.
But Liu Duanhe’s suspicions had already been stirred. He was by nature a wary person, prone to overthinking and deep feeling. Chen Xingdong, though unreliable, was not one to speak without cause. He had been tracking Liu Duanhe’s movements so closely, so closely that even Liu Duanhe himself hadn’t known, was it really just because they’d hidden it well?
Yet Feng Xingyun’s intimate gesture also puzzled him. If they weren’t actually involved, then given Feng Xingyun’s personality, one that never spared anyone’s feelings, he should have simply shaken off Liu Duanhe’s hand outright.
Liu Duanhe set the matter aside for now, deciding to send Chen Xingdong off first. Any more delay and he’d be past his usual bedtime.
He shook his head, his smile unusually absent as he frowned. “Don’t say things like waiting for me. In front of my current lover, please mind your boundaries.”
Different people required different strategies, and Chen Xingdong was the type to seize any opening, give him an inch and he’d take a mile.
That afternoon, whether intentionally or not, Chen Xingdong had let slip to his grandfather about his hospitalization, earning Liu Duanhe a scolding for no good reason. Liu Duanhe had no more patience for dancing around the issue with him.
Chen Xingdong’s expression stiffened.
Feng Xingyun, by contrast, was completely at ease now, the hand around Liu Duanhe’s shoulder growing more relaxed.
He smiled, still carrying that arrogant, aloof air, half-holding, half-embracing Liu Duanhe.
His voice low and deep, he taunted, “Are you going to stand there blocking our way back?”
Chen Xingdong refused to even look at him, his eyes full of hurt. “Xiao He, fine. I won’t bother you anymore.”
Liu Duanhe smiled with gentle pity. “I’m glad you understand, Xingdong.”
At that moment, he used the childhood nickname he’d abandoned back in high school, when he’d first realized Chen Xingdong’s feelings for him. Now it felt like a reward.
Chen Xingdong tugged at the corner of his mouth, then suddenly laughed, rallying himself. “Guess we just weren’t meant to be. Alright.”
Back in the apartment he’d just bought, the door clicked shut, and Chen Xingdong’s gaze turned instantly sinister. He braced himself against the cane by the door, leaning in to peer through the peephole.
His ordinarily handsome face was now so dark and menacing it sent a chill down the spine.
The door across the hall was just closing, and he caught a glimpse of what appeared to be the same intimate, embracing posture.
Chen Xingdong thought to himself, What’s so good about that man? He looks utterly unremarkable, aside from a passably handsome face, his personality is terrible and difficult, his words sharp enough to cut. Clearly, he’s like this most of the time. What could Liu Duanhe possibly see in him?
He carefully shifted onto his wheelchair, rolled over to the sofa, and dialed a number from his contacts. The call connected quickly, and before the other party could speak, Chen Xingdong rattled off, “Look into the romantic relationships of the Tianhe Group’s Liu family heir. Find out if he’s been seeing anyone recently. And I’ll send you a photo in a moment, I want everything on this person, from childhood to now!”
“Understood, young master.” The secretary, long accustomed to serving this young master at odd hours, noted down all the requirements.
Chen Xingdong hung up, pulled up the hallway surveillance footage, and extracted a clear image of Feng Xingyun’s face.
He still didn’t believe Liu Duanhe and Feng Xingyun were actually together. Having grown up alongside Liu Duanhe, he knew all too well the nature of that smiling tiger. There was no way Liu Duanhe would casually give his heart away or recklessly jump into a relationship!
No one could get into his heart in such a short time. The man Chen Xingdong had spent over a decade failing to warm, the idea that someone else could do it in just a few years, or even a few months, was absolutely unacceptable to him.
Chen Xingdong picked up the cigarette pack from the sofa, and the lighter gave a sharp hiss as it ignited the tobacco’s fragrance.
A glowing red ember pulsed in the darkness. He somewhat regretted accidentally letting it slip to Grandpa Liu about the hospitalization.
Before, Liu Duanhe had always refused him with some measure of grace. This time, leaving no room at all, surely part of it was holding a grudge over that incident.
Stubbing out the half-finished cigarette, Chen Xingdong mulled over finding an occasion to apologize to Xiao He, to salvage some impression points. Giving up was a word that simply didn’t exist in his vocabulary.
The door slammed shut with a bang.
Liu Duanhe stepped forward, naturally slipping out of Feng Xingyun’s arm.
He turned on the light and gestured toward the guest room. “You’ll stay here tonight. Auntie cleaned the room yesterday, and the quilt is in the wardrobe, it’s been aired out too. There are disposable duvet covers and sheets inside as well; help yourself.”
Feng Xingyun expected Liu Duanhe to offer some explanation, but after arranging his lodging for the night, Liu Duanhe simply rubbed his temples. “It’s already late. Toiletries, bath towels, bathrobes, and pajamas, all unopened, are in the bathroom.”
Before he could finish, he couldn’t help covering his mouth with his hand and yawning, his eyes glistening as sleepy tears blinked out, clinging to his lashes, the corners of his eyes flushed red.
“And the clothes are all this year’s new styles, washed but never worn. Take whatever you like. I’m really sleepy, so I’ll shower and head to bed first. Any questions?”
His demeanor was perfectly natural, as if their relationship required no further explanation. Feng Xingyun’s gloomy, stern expression froze for a moment as he replayed the words. “No questions.”
Only after Liu Duanhe entered the bathroom did Feng Xingyun have time to take in the apartment. It matched Liu Duanhe’s outward persona perfectly, warm, cozy decor, full of human warmth, with various plants, paintings, and other culturally rich ornaments and hangings.
It wasn’t until after he’d showered and lay in bed that Feng Xingyun still questioned his reality. So Liu Duanhe really did consider him a good friend, huh.
At that thought, Feng Xingyun felt a flattered surprise. A month ago, he could never have imagined staying overnight at Liu Duanhe’s place.
He turned over. Based on the layout he’d seen before entering, their rooms were even right next to each other. In the dorm, they all shared one room, but here, being merely adjacent made Feng Xingyun’s ears burn.
Perhaps it was because this house was originally Liu Duanhe’s private space, and he’d been invited to step inside.
Liu Duanhe actually had a business appointment the next day, a golf outing with a partner. He went to bed much earlier than Feng Xingyun, showering and turning in right away.
The next morning at six-thirty, though delayed by over half an hour, Liu Duanhe’s internal clock still woke him.
Feng Xingyun was still asleep; the whole house remained immersed in the night’s slumber, utterly quiet.
Liu Duanhe quietly washed up, picked out his outfit, left a note for Feng Xingyun, and headed out.
He had breakfast after arriving at the company. Secretary Wei had arranged his schedule and prepared breakfast in advance, if Liu Duanhe had eaten before coming, the meal wouldn’t appear, but if he hadn’t, it would be just right.
Breakfast was a blueberry jam toast, a fried egg, and coffee, very mild in flavor, matching Liu Duanhe’s recent preferences.
After unwrapping the breakfast packaging, Liu Duanhe’s expression softened, and he praised, “Secretary Wei has figured out my taste.”
He stood, walked to the safe, and took out a card after opening it. “The password is six zeros. Use this card for future breakfast costs and any other expenses related to me.”
Secretary Wei understood, this was Liu Duanhe’s trust in him. He accepted it solemnly and put it away.
Liu Duanhe smiled with satisfaction, went to the restroom attached to his office to wash his hands, then came out to finish breakfast on the sofa.
As he ate, Secretary Wei verbally walked him through the day’s schedule, though a document version had already been sent via WeChat.
Today was rare, the only full day in his week with no classes, so the schedule was packed tight.
Secretary Wei had timed everything perfectly, accounting for contingencies and travel time. Liu Duanhe had no objections and simply nodded after listening.
The phone on the table vibrated, a message notification popping up. Secretary Wei discreetly lowered his gaze.
Liu Duanhe opened it and saw a message from Feng Xingyun, a blank chat screen with a photo of a table full of breakfast, in Cantonese dim sum style.
His chewing paused mid-bite. Feng Xingyun followed up with a fitting message: [Felt like you’d enjoy this]
Unlike his talkative real-life persona, Liu Duanhe rarely chatted online to save time and avoid unnecessary time sinks.
He replied, [I do.]
After a moment’s thought, he added, [Is it good?]
[Feng Xingyun: It’s good]
[Liu Duanhe: Take me along next time.]
[Feng Xingyun: I’ll take you next time]
Two messages popped up on the screen simultaneously. Liu Duanhe smiled unconsciously, soft and natural.
Secretary Wei stood nearby, catching his expression clearly from the corner of his eye. He suppressed the urge to glance at the phone, only his shoulders tightening involuntarily.
Feng Xingyun sat in the restaurant outside, and the more he looked, the more the neat three-character contact name stung his eyes.
After a brief struggle, he tapped into the edit-name screen anyway.
[Xiao He: Let me know when you have time.]
[Feng Xingyun: Okay]
Liu Duanhe put down his phone. Though his appetite had faded, he finished the toast and coffee cleanly.
After Secretary Wei took the trash out, he smiled and probed, “Should we switch up the breakfast options next time?”
Liu Duanhe glanced at him, then opened the documents on his desk. “No need. It’s messy to clean up afterward, and it’s inconvenient.”
Who doesn’t enjoy good food? But most delicious things carry a strong smell, after eating, the scent might linger in his hair, on his clothes, or even in the office, all of which he couldn’t tolerate. At home, bathing was easy, and he didn’t need to see anyone, but outside was different. Meeting guests with a lingering odor, even if the other party might not notice, was something Liu Duanhe simply couldn’t accept.
Secretary Wei couldn’t help but let out a genuine chuckle. “I understand.”
Liu Duanhe looked down, puzzled, wondering what he had interpreted to make him laugh.