For the first time in his life, Xie Fengbei experienced such a strange feeling. Without warning, without reason, the moment he caught sight of Lin Xi, a voice suddenly echoed in the back of his mind telling him that this person had come into the world just for him and ought to be possessed by him.
As for the young man’s smile, though entirely ordinary, it left Xie Fengbei deeply shaken.
In his long-dormant world, a dazzling beam of light seemed to suddenly pierce through, illuminating Xie Fengbei’s cold, wooden heart, making the young man before him the sole existence capable of stirring his heartstrings.
Xie Fengbei’s pupils constricted slightly.
Lin Xi had no idea why his heart suddenly fluttered with panic the moment he laid eyes on the most handsome-looking man among the group. He simply assumed it was his own illusion and did not dwell on the matter.
After Lin Xi walked away, those few people kept their gazes fixed on him, something Lin Xi was already quite used to.
Today, his boyfriend Fu Chen was also at the boxing gym, and since Lin Xi wasn’t on shift, he was able to leave a bit early.
The night grew late, and the number of people visiting the shop gradually dwindled.
Yet those few individuals by the window seemed to still be sitting there, looking as though they intended to stay for a long time.
During that time, Lin Xi went over to their table again when someone asked what snacks the shop offered. Lin Xi recommended a few items, but upon seeing they were mostly desserts, the group decided against ordering.
Many people found out about this coffee shop from online posts and rushed over.
Among them, quite a few were captivated by Lin Xi’s face, and some had even confessed to him right inside the shop, though Lin Xi had rejected every single one of them.
Lin Xi would simply tell them straight that he was already married and had children.
Hearing such words, people generally stopped coming back.
As for the customers who came in tonight, Lin Xi figured some of them might harbor similar intentions.
The moment anyone showed any untoward ideas, Lin Xi would immediately extinguish all their hopes.
Time passed quickly in the night. When it was time for Lin Xi to get off work, one colleague stayed behind for the night shift. With only two tables of customers left in the shop, they could close up as soon as those guests departed.
After handing over duties, Lin Xi went to the back room to change into his casual clothes.
The moment he stepped out, a strange gaze seemed to linger on him. Yet when Lin Xi turned his head to look at the remaining two tables of customers, he didn’t catch anyone looking his way.
Holding his phone, Lin Xi walked outside. Just as he reached the doorway and prepared to make a call, his ringtone sounded first.
Answering the call, he found it was from his lover.
With a turn of his head, he saw his lover riding up on a motorcycle and stopping right behind him.
Lin Xi walked over happily, noticing that his boyfriend’s handsome face was completely unmarked. It seemed there hadn’t been any tough opponents at the boxing gym today.
Fu Chen pulled something out of his pocket and stuffed it straight into Lin Xi’s mouth. Lin Xi tried to dodge, but Fu Chen pinned him by the shoulder.
A sudden bitter taste bloomed in his mouth, and Lin Xi instinctively wanted to spit it out.
“Do not spit it out.”
Fu Chen’s voice was deep and rich.
Lin Xi endured it for a moment, holding back. Right after the bitterness faded, a rich sweetness rushed in.
It was chocolate.
Lin Xi actually loved eating sweets, whereas Fu Chen didn’t care for them at all. But because Lin Xi liked them, he had slowly started accepting them too.
“Why did you buy this?”
Lin Xi lifted his leg and straddled the back of the motorcycle.
“Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.”
“That is tomorrow, though.”
Eating chocolate today felt a bit too early in Lin Xi’s opinion.
“I asked the bosses for leave tomorrow so we can go out and play all day.”
“Really?”
Lin Xi was pleasantly surprised.
Truth be told, over the past few months, Fu Chen hadn’t had much free time. To work hard and earn enough money to buy a house, he often left early and returned late, leaving them with only brief moments to spend together at night.
“Of course it is real. When have I ever lied to you?”
Fu Chen turned his head and reached out to give Lin Xi’s nose a light flick.
Lin Xi immediately wrapped his arms tightly around Fu Chen’s waist.
Right at that moment, that strange gaze seemed to appear once more.
Only it wasn’t coming from inside the shop, but from somewhere else.
Lin Xi looked left and right, seeing only cars parked near the street, but no other pedestrians around.
Their location was also a bit far from the coffee shop, making it hard for anyone inside to see them clearly.
“What are you looking for?”
Fu Chen noticed Lin Xi acting as if he were searching for something.
“It is nothing. Let us go home, sleep early tonight so we can wake up early tomorrow, and visit that ancient town. I found a place online recently, a little over an hour’s drive away. There is an ancient town there, and the environment looks decent.”
“Alright.”
Fu Chen smiled and nodded.
“Hold on tighter.”
Lin Xi immediately hugged his lover’s waist even closer.
The roar of the motorcycle engine rang out. This harsh roar was heard not only by the people inside the coffee shop, but also clearly by Qin Yuan, who was sitting in a car parked by the roadside.
Aside from Qin Yuan, there was another woman in the car with him.
It was the woman who had voluntarily gotten into his car during the street race.
Qin Yuan had originally been driving around aimlessly to clear his head, but before he knew it, he had ended up outside the coffee shop.
Just as Lin Xi had gotten off work early and the scene unfolded before him, though Qin Yuan already knew what would happen, seeing Lin Xi hug Fu Chen and watching them look so happy made the casual expression on his face vanish in an instant.
“You…”
The woman started to say something, but Qin Yuan pushed open the car door and stepped out.
Standing by the door, Qin Yuan pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a couple of heavy drags.
The corners of the woman’s lips curved upward.
She followed him out and walked over to his side.
“Give me one.”
Qin Yuan looked at her, and amid the woman’s bold, striking smile, he handed her a cigarette.
Afterward, Qin Yuan reached out with his lighter, but the woman didn’t take it. Instead, she took hold of Qin Yuan’s hand to guide the flame.
The flame flared and then went out as the woman took a shallow drag.
Both of them leaned against the car door, the cigarette pinched between the woman’s fingers as she turned her head to look at Qin Yuan.
Qin Yuan’s gaze was fixed in the distance, right where a same-sex couple had just driven away.
Initially, the woman had only been guessing, but now she could practically confirm it.
“You like him.”
She didn’t specify which “him,” but anyone could tell who Qin Yuan would fancy.
The boy who had walked out of the coffee shop and climbed onto the passenger seat of a motorcycle.
Even though she had only seen him through the car window glass from a distance, under the streetlamp, the boy’s smiling face possessed a childlike purity and innocence. That kind of purity felt both ordinary and striking, as if simply getting close to him could make one feel serene and happy. Even though she wasn’t usually fond of the delicate and dainty type, she couldn’t help staring at him for a few extra seconds.
If Qin Yuan fell for someone like that, it wasn’t hard to imagine why.
“Losing to a guy like that, I suppose I can accept it.”
“Though it looks like you do not have much of a chance, Qin Yuan.”
“How do you know I do not have a chance?”
“Are you telling me you want to tear them apart?”
The woman raised her chin, looking as though she saw right through everything.
Qin Yuan’s brows furrowed deeply. For a fleeting second, it looked as though he genuinely wanted to barge into that loving couple’s lives and tear them apart.
“With your methods, you certainly could.”
“But if you like him today, win him over tomorrow, and get tired of him the day after, would that not be ridiculous?”
“Matters of affection are just for fun. Do not take them seriously.”
The woman turned her body slightly, holding the cigarette in one hand while extending the other to stroke Qin Yuan’s face.
Qin Yuan frowned and caught the woman’s wrist.
He had only permitted her to catch a ride in his car for the time being, but he certainly hadn’t given her permission to touch him so casually.
“Someone as handsome as you shouldn’t ruin yourself over a single person. It would be a loss for everyone.”
“Are you saying this because you want to play around with me?”
“I certainly would like to, but would you allow it?”
“It is not entirely out of the question.”
The bitter edge deep within Qin Yuan’s heart eased slightly through this back-and-forth banter with the woman.
Right. Why should he continue to ruin himself over that person? Lin Xi didn’t know a thing, didn’t even know he existed.
Qin Yuan cupped the back of the woman’s neck and leaned in to kiss her. This time he took the initiative, unlike earlier during the race when he had just stood there passively.
The two of them kissed right outside the coffee shop, a kiss that grew somewhat intense.
A whistle suddenly sounded nearby. Out of the corner of his eye, Qin Yuan saw a few people walking out of the coffee shop.
He eased up slightly and pulled the woman straight into his arms.
“Young Master Qin?”
Someone immediately recognized Qin Yuan.
After all, they had just seen photos of Qin Yuan’s racing car earlier. Looking closely at the woman in his arms, who else could she be if not the person from the photo?
The two of them had been kissing in the photo, and now here they were kissing in person again.
Why did Yang Yan suddenly feel as though these two had deliberately come out to put on a show right in front of them?
Qin Yuan swept his gaze across the group, quickly locking eyes with one specific person. Their gazes met, and Xie Fengbei’s eyes were as frosty and indifferent as winter.
As for Qin Yuan, the tip of his tongue grazed his lip while his expression remained arrogant and haughty.
“Such a siren.”
Someone muttered under their breath.
Qin Yuan heard it, but he didn’t mind in the slightest. Instead, he intentionally smiled with charm and allure in his eyes.
Xie Fengbei, standing to the side, narrowed his eyes slightly. First, he glanced at the woman who had her back to them, and then his gaze landed back on Qin Yuan’s handsome face.
That face of Qin Yuan’s, especially those peach blossom eyes, seemed shrouded in a hazy mist when he smiled, looking effortlessly seductive and gazing at everyone with deep affection.
It certainly fit the description of a siren.
Xie Fengbei suddenly wondered: if Qin Yuan stood side by side with the young man who had just left, which of them would look prettier?
A quiet chuckle escaped Xie Fengbei’s mind.
“Let us go.” Qin Yuan didn’t bother exchanging pleasantries with Xie Fengbei and the others. They weren’t walking the same path, so there was no need to force themselves together.
Getting back into the car, right before driving off, Qin Yuan seemed to remember something and abruptly raised his head to look outside. Why on earth had these people suddenly come to this coffee shop? Did they just happen to drop by, or had they seen Lin Xi’s photos online and deliberately come to check it out?
If it was the latter, Qin Yuan recalled Xie Fengbei’s personality. This guy seemed to enjoy keeping a few pretty little lovers around, and his previous partner had broken up with him not too long ago.
Could Xie Fengbei have come here with designs on Lin Xi?
Qin Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly. If that was the case, he wouldn’t allow it.
Qin Yuan drove off, heading all the way home and bringing the woman along with him.
Once home, Qin Yuan debated whether to have someone keep an eye on things, but then he reconsidered. Knowing Xie Fengbei’s character, he was completely different from Qin Yuan; Xie Fengbei wouldn’t stoop to preying on someone who was already taken. Not everyone was like Qin Yuan back then, obsessed with taking things by force.
At least where Xie Fengbei was concerned, Qin Yuan had never heard any rumors about him liking to force relationships. Qin Yuan put his phone down. He was simply being too paranoid because he cared too much about Lin Xi.
But in truth, there was no need for worry. As long as he kept his distance from Lin Xi, Lin Xi would be entirely safe.
Qin Yuan fiddled with his phone for a moment. He was so focused that he almost forgot there was another person in the room.
The woman’s slender fingers rested on Qin Yuan’s shoulder as she leaned closer into his embrace.
Caressing Qin Yuan’s handsome face, the woman, who had slept with her fair share of people, thought back and realized none of her past partners could compare to Qin Yuan.
Getting to sleep with a handsome man of this caliber for free was an absolute steal.
“Why do I get the feeling you are very happy?” Qin Yuan looked down at her.
“Of course I am happy. Anyone would be happy sleeping with someone like you.”
“You are going to sleep with me?”
Ha ha ha. Qin Yuan burst out laughing. Across two lifetimes, he had never heard anything so amusing.
“Then you might end up disappointed.”
“What? Surely closing your eyes makes everyone the same.”
“Not at all. Your perfume is far too strong, it makes me uncomfortable. I prefer something more natural.”
The woman slumped directly against Qin Yuan’s shoulder, laughing until her entire body shook.
“Fine, I will go upstairs and take a shower, alright?”
“Which room is your bedroom?”
“You really are insatiable.”
“Not greedy? I am afraid if I miss this village, I will not find this shop.”
The woman brushed her fingertips across Qin Yuan’s chin, pulled herself out of his arms, and walked straight toward the stairs.
Qin Yuan didn’t tell her which room was his, but searching room by room, it wouldn’t take her long to find his bedroom anyway.
Once inside, she stripped off her clothes and headed straight for the bathroom.
As for sleepwear, she preferred sleeping naked, so not having any clothes on was even better.
Downstairs in the living room, as soon as things quieted down, a heavy sense of loneliness crept over him.
He lit another cigarette and began to smoke.
After taking a couple of puffs, his craving for alcohol flared up. He stubbed out the cigarette and poured himself a glass of red wine.
Downing the ice-cold wine, because his mood was foul, he couldn’t taste any of its flavors.
It was getting late, and it was time for bed.
Qin Yuan walked upstairs, pushed open his door, and found someone lying across his bed.
Qin Yuan stood at the doorway. His private space had been invaded; truth be told, he didn’t much like other people sleeping in his bedroom.
The woman leaned against the headboard, clearly wearing no sleepwear at all. Seeing Qin Yuan arrive, she looked completely casual, as though the bedroom belonged to her rather than him.
“Please come in.”
The woman even spoke those words aloud.
Qin Yuan couldn’t help but laugh despite himself.
Walking over to the bedside, Qin Yuan looked down. The woman shifted slightly to the side, moving away from the center of the mattress to make space for Qin Yuan.
Qin Yuan laughed again. He bent down, pinched the woman’s chin, and asked, “Are you trying to be the lady of this house?”
The woman put on an innocent expression. “I would like to, but is that allowed?”
Qin Yuan didn’t answer. He stared at the woman with a half-smile, his gaze slowly turning cold.
“I was wrong, I do not want to.” The woman apologized immediately.
The corners of Qin Yuan’s lips twitched upward as he turned and walked into the bathroom to take a shower. When he came out wearing his pajamas, the woman sat up straight, staring at him unblinkingly before suddenly picking up her phone and snapping a photo of the handsome man fresh out of the bath.