Clear skies followed the rain that day, yielding a bright, sunny day.
Huo Tingxiao was resting at home, so Lin Xun didn’t need to go on duty immediately.
After breakfast, having helped Uncle Ji finish taking inventory of the storeroom, he changed into sportswear, deciding to head to the gym to work on the equipment.
The gym was built next to the tennis court—a sunroom with glass on three sides, fully equipped with exercise gear, a shower, and a changing room. A few large-canopied camphor trees were planted outside, their leafy branches providing shade so that it wouldn’t get sweltering even in summer.
Lin Xun paused outside the glass doors, not stepping inside.
Because Huo Tingxiao was in there.
With his feet hooked into the exercise rack’s stabilizing rollers, his upper body hung suspended in mid-air as he performed crunches. His movements were remarkably effortless—broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and smooth, elegant muscle lines radiating a perfectly balanced sexiness.
It was immensely visually captivating.
Lin Xun visualized the abdominal lines beneath the man’s black athletic tank top. Just as he was getting lost in thought, Huo Tingxiao suddenly turned his head to look over.
When their eyes met, Lin Xun felt a wave of guilt, like a wrongdoer caught dead in the act.
It was already too late to leave, so Huo Tingxiao beckoned to him, leaving him no choice but to bite the bullet and push the door open.
“Why were you standing outside? Isn’t it hot?”
Huo Tingxiao stepped off the machine and casually pulled up the hem of his tank top to wipe the light sweat from his face.
Lin Xun shook his head, his eyes honestly fixed on the gym rack, not daring to let them wander.
Huo Tingxiao looked at him with a smile: “If it’s not hot, why is your face red?”
Bypassing Lin Xun, he went on to do another set of bench presses. Seeing that Lin Xun was still standing stiffly in place, he said, “It’s a bit boring on my own. Come play tennis with me.”
He seemed entirely certain that Lin Xun knew how to play tennis. Bringing out two rackets, he handed one to Lin Xun.
“The string tension is set to 55 pounds. If you’re not used to it, you can take it to be re-strung after we finish.”
Lin Xun swung the racket twice. He hadn’t been on a court for far too long, and his hands felt rusty. Huo Tingxiao acted like a coach, patiently feeding him balls, while Lin Xun worried that the other man wouldn’t enjoy the game to the fullest.
Huo Tingxiao, however, enjoyed himself even more than Lin Xun had expected.
“Not bad,” Huo Tingxiao handed him a bottle of water. “I just felt like you struggled a bit in the second half.”
Indeed, he did.
To his shame, ever since coming to the Huo residence, Lin Xun had been fed high-nutrition meals daily by the housekeepers. Coupled with resting constantly and doing no high-intensity exercise, he felt as though his entire body was turning soft.
His physical stamina had truly dropped significantly.
“It’s a minor issue; just train more and you’ll be fine,” Huo Tingxiao tilted his head back to take a sip of water, adding casually, “Run with me tomorrow morning.”
Lin Xun raised his eyes in surprise.
He kept the man’s words—”no need to watch over me at home”—firmly in mind, hardly daring to push himself into Huo Tingxiao’s presence. Could he actually go for morning runs with him?
Huo Tingxiao teased him on purpose: “Can’t get up?”
Fearing he would change his mind, Lin Xun parted his lips in a rush, silently mouthing “I can.”
Huo Tingxiao gave a faint smile, reaching out to place the water bottle steadily on top of Lin Xun’s head before turning and walking away.
The next day, Lin Xun woke up very early and waited by the staircase, a mixture of nervous excitement and anticipation bubbling within him.
When Huo Tingxiao came downstairs, he asked, “How long have you been waiting?”
Lin Xun waved his hands to signal that it hadn’t been long.
Huo Tingxiao said, “I usually run at seven. Don’t come too early from now on.”
From now on? Did that mean he could accompany him on runs long-term?
Realizing this, Lin Xun couldn’t suppress a smile.
Huo Tingxiao smiled along, loosening up his knees and ankles as he said, “Let’s go.”
After finishing their morning run together, they ate breakfast together as well. Huo Tingxiao went upstairs to his study for a brief video conference, and once he was done, he went to play tennis with Lin Xun.
Lin Xun regained some of his touch, and the rhythm between the two during the game was surprisingly harmonious.
After playing half a match, it felt as though all the pores over his body were opened up. It felt exhilarating—a relaxed sensation reminiscent of his student days.
Sitting on a bench at the side of the court, Huo Tingxiao smiled at him: “You play well.”
Lin Xun smiled shyly, pointing at Huo Tingxiao to convey that it was because he was a good teacher.
After resting for ten minutes and getting ready to continue the second half, Fu Xingchen and Duan Yang arrived.
“So you really were at home,” Duan Yang said in a playful tone. “I thought you’d been enticed away by some beauty. I couldn’t catch a glimpse of you these past two days, and you wouldn’t come out when invited either.”
“Just wanted to rest for a couple of days,” Huo Tingxiao said. “Going out is boring anyway.”
Duan Yang sneered: “Isn’t playing tennis at home boring?”
“Nope, it’s very interesting.” Huo Tingxiao twirled his racket, inviting him to join.
Duan Yang took a swift step back under the shade of a nearby tree, saying with disdain, “Covered in stinky sweat? I’m definitely not playing.”
Fu Xingchen took off his sunglasses and said, “I will.”
Lin Xun handed over his racket, but Fu Xingchen reached his hand out toward Huo Tingxiao instead. “I’ll trade shots with Lin Xun; you rest for a bit.”
Huo Tingxiao raised an eyebrow and surrendered his racket.
Taking it, Fu Xingchen turned back and gave Lin Xun a smile: “Compete with real skill—don’t let me win on purpose.”
The two agreed to play half a match, trading blows back and forth with fierce intensity.
Duan Yang held an icy drink while sitting nearby to watch the match, complaining between sips: “Back in school, you and Xingchen were constantly skipping class to play tennis with a crowd of female classmates watching. I really don’t see what’s so interesting about it.”
Huo Tingxiao merely smiled upon hearing that.
He kept his eyes fixed on the agile figure on the court. Lin Xun liked high-jumping smashes; when he leaped high to swing his racket and drive the ball, his entire being exuded a sharp, formidable energy. Beneath his sportswear, a section of narrow waist was exposed—lean, supple, and fair-skinned.
It was clearly quite captivating to watch.
In this match, Lin Xun mobilized his footwork aggressively, but in the end, he still lost to Fu Xingchen by three points.
Duan Yang spoke up to defend him from the perceived injustice, clamoring: “Lin Xun hasn’t even fully recovered from his injuries yet. Xingchen, you’re just picking on him.”
Fu Xingchen snatched the cold drink from his hand to take a sip, then turned to ask Lin Xun: “Who taught you that smash of yours? It’s very impressive.”
A flicker of unnaturalness crossed Lin Xun’s face.
Fu Xingchen raised his eyebrows with a smile toward Huo Tingxiao: “Do you still remember Coach Wu from our school’s tennis club? He really liked high-jumping smashes.”
At this, Lin Xun’s face turned completely pale, looking as if he were about to get heatstroke.
A bottle of water was handed over to him. Looking up, he saw Huo Tingxiao smiling at him, though the words were addressed to Fu Xingchen: “Are you secretly in love with Coach Wu to remember him so clearly?”
Duan Yang burst out with a loud laugh, doubling over.
Fu Xingchen choked back a response for a long moment before cursing under his breath.
The dangerous topic was brushed aside, and Lin Xun gulped down nearly half a bottle of water in one breath, though it didn’t make him feel any better. Excusing himself to take a shower, he headed back first. Duan Yang didn’t want to get baked in the sun here, so he walked back along with him.
Huo Tingxiao and Fu Xingchen went to the adjacent clay court to play another half match.
After being smashed on for the tenth time, Fu Xingchen hugged his racket and refused to play any further.
“What’s wrong?” Huo Tingxiao looked at him teasingly. “Can’t win, so you want to start playing dirty?”
“Unhappy ungrateful wolf.”
Fu Xingchen sneered coldly: “I was probing him with a few words on your behalf just now, and this is how you repay me?”
Huo Tingxiao smiled: “It seems you’ve uncovered quite a lot.”
Fu Xingchen narrowed his eyes: “You really knew all along.”
He said ill-temperedly, “Then why did you still have me look into him? Wasn’t that completely redundant?”
“Not at all,” Huo Tingxiao said as he took away his racket and gave his shoulder a casual pat. “You just helped me confirm the fact that my memory is still quite sharp.”
Fu Xingchen let out a dry laugh.
The two entered the gym’s changing room together.
Stripping off his sweat-soaked T-shirt and tossing it aside, Fu Xingchen still couldn’t wrap his head around Huo Tingxiao’s approach.
“Since you already know who he is, how do you still dare keep him by your side? Do you honestly believe he was completely innocent six years ago?”
Huo Tingxiao shut his locker door and turned to face him: “How do you judge whether a person is innocent or guilty?”
Without waiting for an answer, he continued: “I don’t look at where someone comes from or what words they say. I only look at what they do, and the look in their eyes.”
Fu Xingchen sneered: “You’re just trying to say that the way Lin Xun looks at you isn’t pure, aren’t you?”
Huo Tingxiao smiled faintly, grabbed a towel, and walked into the shower stall.
“Fine. Whether he’s genuinely innocent or just a great actor, time will tell,” Fu Xingchen reminded him. “Just don’t forget why you left the Alliance and the Huo family six years ago. Better safe than sorry.”
Standing under the showerhead, Huo Tingxiao let out a low “Mm” only after a long pause.
After showering and changing into fresh clothes, the two returned to the villa.
Duan Yang was lounging in the swimming pool, fully intent on dragging Lin Xun into the water as well. Lin Xun kept waving his hands, only to end up splashed all over.
Watching them, Fu Xingchen tilted his head closer to Huo Tingxiao’s ear: “Back in school, could he speak? Besides, he’s pretty good-looking—how come I have zero impression of him?”
Huo Tingxiao shot him a sideways glance.
Fu Xingchen lowered his voice even further: “Don’t tell me you aren’t the least bit curious about why he can’t speak. I couldn’t pull up any of his medical records.”
Huo Tingxiao turned his gaze back toward the edge of the pool.
Continuously gesturing with his hands, Lin Xun seemed to sense his gaze and looked up.
When their eyes met, Lin Xun took a step back. Though his face remained expressionless, his body language clearly signaled tension, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Popping his head out of the pool, Duan Yang waved his slender arms at Fu Xingchen from afar: “Get over here and do a breath-holding contest with me! I’ll definitely beat you this time!”
“Hold your horses,” Fu Xingchen laughed.
Just as he raised his foot to leave, Huo Tingxiao said in a low voice: “Don’t tell Duan Yang yet.”
Fu Xingchen raised a hand to his lips and made a zipping motion.
Huo Tingxiao walked over to the poolside. Duan Yang and Fu Xingchen had already begun their dull, childish competition. The shimmering reflections of the pool water made Lin Xun’s face appear even paler.
Lin Xun wanted to skirt around the pool and head back to his room.
However, Huo Tingxiao blocked his path, showing no intention of stepping aside.
A wave of tension washed over Lin Xun.
After waiting a few seconds without the other man showing any sign of speaking, he pulled out his phone to type: My clothes are wet, I want to change.
Huo Tingxiao kept staring at him without offering a response. Unable to gauge his intentions, Lin Xun looked up in confusion, only for Huo Tingxiao to suddenly reach out and hook a finger under the silver ring in the middle of his choker.
His fingertip scraped right across his Adam’s apple.
A violent shudder ran through Lin Xun.
Exerting a slight tug, the man pulled him closer to his front before stepping aside to yield the path: “Go on.”
With a wildly pounding heart, Lin Xun walked briskly back to his room.
It took a long time for the goosebumps across his entire body to settle down.
Judging by Huo Tingxiao’s attitude—lukewarm as ever—it seemed he hadn’t recalled anything. Could it be that Fu Xingchen’s casual joke on the court earlier wasn’t meant as a probe after all?
Was he merely overreacting because he had a guilty conscience?
Lin Xun remained restless and uneasy until dinnertime, when he went to the kitchen as usual to lend a hand.
With Fu Xingchen and Duan Yang staying over for dinner that day, the atmosphere in the dining room was exceptionally lively, relaxed, and full of warmth. Duan Yang in particular was fond of talking and laughing; wherever he was, even the lighting seemed to glow brighter.
“Lin Xun, come join us! I wanted to ask you about all those fun things in Downtown,” Duan Yang pulled out the chair beside him, smiling at Lin Xun.
Lin Xun waved his hands in refusal.
He had indeed been sharing the table with Huo Tingxiao over the past two days, but that day was a dinner gathering for Huo Tingxiao’s close friends—what right did he have to pull up a seat?
Duan Yang remained enthusiastic: “Come on, come on!”
Dabbling at the corner of his mouth at ease, Fu Xingchen turned his eyes toward Huo Tingxiao.
Huo Tingxiao picked up his wine glass, cast a casual glance at the tense-looking Lin Xun, and said, “Go about your business, ignore him.”
Lin Xun silently turned and walked toward the kitchen. Hearing Duan Yang’s complaints and Fu Xingchen’s laughter behind him, an inexplicable sense of tightness settled in his chest.