On the last day of the first week, Yunyu, the privileged connection, used his status to return home for a visit. However, both parents were traveling abroad, and his workaholic older sister was holding down the fort at the office.
Thinking that going home meant facing an empty house, he simply instructed the driver to head straight to the corporate office instead, only to encounter an unexpected person there.
His brother-in-law, another one of the protagonist’s lovers, Zuo Yan.
With his back turned to Yunyu, the man stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out either in a daze or observing the hustle and bustle of the traffic below.
“Brother Yan? Why are you here?” Mo Yunyu stepped forward, his face full of surprise.
Hearing Mo Yunyu’s voice, Zuo Yan turned around. Meeting Mo Yunyu’s joyful and affectionate gaze, the aloofness on his face faded, replaced by a much softer expression. “Why did you come over today?” Without waiting for an answer, he continued, “I heard you got involved in the entertainment industry and were slacking off.”
Feeling the anomaly in his left wrist for the third time already, Yunyu nearly failed to maintain his smile properly, but he managed to cover it up by lowering his head in a show of embarrassment.
“Brother Yan, you always tease me. Why don’t you talk about not letting your own people in too?”
Hearing this, Zuo Yan naturally understood that some gossip had reached Mo Yunyu’s ears. “It’s just business expansion.”
Zuo Yan raised a hand and ruffled Mo Yunyu’s fluffy hair. “As for you, make sure you don’t get bullied out there.”
Having his hair smoothed successfully, Mo Yunyu lifted his chin proudly and broke into a smile. “With you as my brother-in-law, who would dare bully me?”
Today, Yunyu continued the original host’s aesthetic style, wearing quite a few sparkly accessories.
Looking at the face before him, which had lost its adolescent awkwardness and become exceptionally eye-catching at some point, Zuo Yan’s breath hitched, or perhaps it was just an illusion caused by the light reflected off the accessories.
He was still just that wealthy young master who only knew how to play.
Yet, Zuo Yan couldn’t help using his gaze to meticulously trace Yunyu’s features once more.
At some point, the little brat he had watched grow up had grown this alluring.
Mo Yunyu was completely unaware of Zuo Yan’s emotional shift. “Where is my sister? Is she still busy?”
“She’s still in a meeting. How about we have lunch together later?” Zuo Yan’s hand absentmindedly rubbed together, unsure whether he was reminiscing about that smile or the feel of those little curls.
Mo Yunyu nodded and began buzzing around Zuo Yan, excitedly recounting the events that had taken place while recording the show.
At this moment, he showed none of the arrogant, look-down-on-everyone attitude he displayed to outsiders; facing someone he was close to and liked, he showed a completely different side.
Zuo Yan had always known what Mo Yunyu looked like to strangers, so he found this entirely different attitude all the more endearing.
When Mo Yunniao arrived, what she saw was her younger brother chattering away while Zuo Yan listened attentively.
“What fun things are you talking about? Let me hear it too.” She walked over, exchanged a brief greeting with Zuo Yan, and then focused her attention entirely on her younger brother.
Seeing his sister arrive, Mo Yunyu naturally turned up the charm. “Sister, why did you take so long? I’m starving.”
Mo Yunniao instantly felt a twinge of heartache. “Recording the show must have worn you out. Sister will take you to eat something good right now.”
She turned to look at Zuo Yan. “Let’s take Yunyu along.”
Truth be told, Mo Yunniao preferred not to dine with Zuo Yan whenever she was eating with her brother. She held a lukewarm impression of her commercial marriage partner, and his status in her heart couldn’t possibly compare to her adorable younger brother. Still, since he had waited this long, it wouldn’t be polite to dismiss him.
Zuo Yan readily accepted; after all, two business partners dining together usually amounted to talking shop, which paled in comparison to having a youngster nearby telling amusing stories.
The three of them headed to a restaurant outside.
Mo Yunyu’s side was lively and bustling, whereas Zhou Xingyu was left all alone in the practice room, watching people wander past the window before turning away.
Then there was Shi Jingchi, who had dropped by under the guise of offering guidance, only to leave in disappointment just like the others upon finding Mo Yunyu absent.
Because there was an important meeting scheduled for the afternoon, Mo Yunniao finished her meal in a rush and stood up to leave, making sure to transfer a sum of money to her precious brother’s account for comfort before departing.
Watching his sister’s retreating figure, Yunyu lowered his gaze in slight disappointment, venting his frustration by poking at the food in front of him with his chopsticks. He had wanted to chat more with her, but she was simply too busy.
Realizing that Mo Yunyu had finally managed to come out only to miss out on chatting with Mo Yunniao, Zuo Yan raised a hand, intending to ruffle Mo Yunyu’s little curls again.
“You’re pouting so hard you could hang an oil jug on it.”
When Mo Yunyu’s mood soured, his caprice took over. He jerked his head away, agilely dodging Zuo Yan’s hand. “Stop messing with my hair.”
Finding that the youth lacked the soft sweetness he showed toward Mo Yunniao, Zuo Yan’s palm felt empty, leaving him somewhat displeased. “Are you really that attached to your sister?”
“Of course! Sister is pretty, gentle, and so good to me.” The moment his sister was mentioned, Mo Yunyu’s eyes visibly lit up, though they drooped again the next second. “But she’s just way too busy.”
Zuo Yan was well aware that once the Mo family realized their youngest son lacked business acumen, they had shifted their full focus to grooming the eldest daughter. He had come today because his family urged him to interact more with her to maintain mutual business ties, though he had only just discovered that he was clearly far more interested in this young master instead.
Completely oblivious to Zuo Yan’s thoughts, Mo Yunyu checked the time on his phone and prepared to head back to continue recording the show.
“Brother Yan, I’m heading back then.” Mo Yunyu’s expression remained sullen, his delicate face looking rather pitiful, making one want to comfort him.
Zuo Yan felt the exact same way. “I’ll drive you back. My car happens to be nearby, and there’s some stuff in it you might like.”
With no reason to refuse, Mo Yunyu followed Zuo Yan’s steps with a hint of anticipation.
Once inside the car, Zuo Yan handed a box of exquisitely packaged chocolates from the back seat to Mo Yunyu. “Some chocolates given by a partner. They seem to be liqueur-filled, so don’t eat them all at once.”
Mo Yunyu loved sweets the most. After expressing his thanks, he took them happily and gave the driver his destination.
Hearing rustling sounds beside him, Zuo Yan noticed that Mo Yunyu had already impatiently unwrapped the packaging and popped one into his mouth. “Didn’t you just finish eating? Weren’t you full?”
As he spoke, he recalled how much the other had eaten during lunch.
With his mouth stuffed full, Mo Yunyu looked rather like a little hamster, his mood vastly improved by the sweet chocolate. “Just dessert, it doesn’t take up any space.”
Resigned, Zuo Yan let him be. “Three pieces maximum, no more.”
Even though Mo Yunyu genuinely adored the taste of those chocolates, he obediently followed Zuo Yan’s instructions and stopped after three pieces.
Seemingly hit with some urgent work, Zuo Yan spent the entire journey handling emails on his laptop, and the two rode in silence.
Once the car came to a smooth stop, he turned to look at the youth gazing blankly out the window. “We’re here.”
Called several times, Mo Yunyu turned around with a sluggish delay to look at Zuo Yan, his eyes drifting, and even the curls on his head seemed to droop slightly.
“Hmm?”
Observing the slightly abnormal flush coating the youth’s face, Zuo Yan frowned and immediately stepped out of the car to check on Mo Yunyu’s condition from the other side.
The car door opened, and cool air rushed in. Mo Yunyu seemed to wake up a bit, though not by much.
Zuo Yan reached out to touch the youth’s soft-textured cheek; the temperature was running somewhat high.
“Brother-in-law?” Mo Yunyu’s voice came out soft and sweet like candy, yet his breath reeked entirely of alcohol.
Only then did Zuo Yan realize the other had gotten drunk. The suspended weight in his chest instantly dropped, leaving him feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation.
How low could someone’s alcohol tolerance possibly be, to get drunk on just three liqueur chocolates?
“Sir, do you need help?” The driver also stepped out of the car, attempting to steady Mo Yunyu, but was stopped by Zuo Yan.
“Call Zhou Xingyu and tell him to come over.”
The driver complied immediately.
Zuo Yan pinched Yunyu’s cheek with helpless amusement. “Little troublemaker.”
Barely had he spoken when he saw Mo Yunyu brace his body, stretching a leg out with the clear intention of getting out of the car.
An intoxicated person lacked coordination; the moment his foot touched the ground, his legs turned to jelly and he began to tip forward. Zuo Yan instantly reached out to pull him in, letting the tipsy youth lean entirely against his chest.
“I want to. I still have to record the show.” Mo Yunyu tried to stumble toward the entrance gates, but his hands and feet refused to cooperate.
As someone accustomed to standing high above and scorning those who indulged in drinking and merrymaking, this was Zuo Yan’s first time encountering such a situation. For a moment, he found himself somewhat flustered, ultimately resorting to holding the other firmly in his arms.
“I need to get inside.” Mo Yunyu looked desperately urgent, his hands clutching Zuo Yan’s clothes while misty tears welled up in his hazy eyes.
Zuo Yan had no choice but to lower his head and soothe him softly. “Someone will come pick you up in a moment, don’t rush.”
Bound tightly in place, Mo Yunyu grew exceptionally displeased, his lips forming that oil-jug pout once more.
Yet, because the distance between them was so close, in Zuo Yan’s eyes it looked entirely like an invitation for a kiss; his plump, rounded lip curves beckoned someone to taste them.
“I won’t, I want to go inside right now.”
Watching those red lips that had captured all his attention opening and closing, Zuo Yan tried his best to exercise restraint, yet his hand unhesitatingly pinched the other’s jaw.
Even while drunk, Mo Yunyu acutely sensed the subtle shift in the atmosphere. The human instinct for self-preservation kicked in, and he instantly turned obedient, clamping his mouth shut and drastically reducing his struggle.
The air grew exceptionally quiet. Zuo Yan locked eyes with the pretty gaze of the little drunkard in his arms, and ultimately failed to resist lowering his head.
Just as he dipped his head down, a voice abruptly broke into the scene.
“Mr. Zuo?”
Taking in the sight of the two figures practically locked in an embrace before him, Zhou Xingyu’s expression remained completely unchanged, though his hands hanging at his sides clenched into fists.
“Take him inside, he’s a bit drunk.” Realizing he had almost kissed the other person, Zuo Yan stepped back with a natural expression, handing over the disoriented Mo Yunyu to Zhou Xingyu.
Zhou Xingyu steadied him firmly. “Understood, Mr. Zuo.”
Driven by a man’s sharp sixth sense toward same-sex rivals, Zuo Yan glanced at Zhou Xingyu and calmly added a warning, “Take good care of him. Don’t harbor any other ideas.”
Zhou Xingyu nodded in silent acknowledgment, showing no sign of having caught the hidden implication in Zuo Yan’s words as he supported Mo Yunyu and turned toward the entrance.
Only after the two figures disappeared from view did Zuo Yan get back into the car, his gaze dropping to the box of chocolates Mo Yunyu had left behind.
In a single instant, it brought back every single sensation from their excessively close proximity just moments ago.
The cheeks were soft, and the fragrance lingering around the tip of his nose was sweet.
His fingers tapped unconsciously against the chocolate box. Perhaps changing his marriage alliance partner wouldn’t be a bad idea after all.
The next moment, Zuo Yan, who typically disliked sweets, unwrapped a piece of chocolate, popped it into his mouth, and savored it slowly.
Meanwhile, Zhou Xingyu looked at Mo Yunyu, who had fallen fast asleep on the bed, while the scene he had just witnessed replayed endlessly in his mind.
The tall, imposing man had circled the youth in his arms, on the verge of sealing a kiss upon those lips.
The more he thought about it, the more bitterly painful and unbearable Zhou Xingyu’s heart felt.
He sat gently by the edge of the bed, using a warm towel to wipe the youth’s face before tucking the blanket around him.
Gazing at those soft, rosy lips, he ultimately couldn’t restrain himself, slowly tracing them with his finger. In his sleep, Mo Yunyu furrowed his brows uncomfortably and let out a dissatisfied murmur, snapping Zhou Xingyu back to reality.
He reluctantly withdrew his hand, the chaotic thoughts in his eyes nearly turning tangible.
He had no power, and no status. He could only lurk in the shadows like a thief, despicably searching for any chance to draw closer.
For the first time, Zhou Xingyu loathed his own insignificance. Zuo Yan’s warning still echoed faintly in his ears, mocking his incompetence over and over again.
Never had he desired success so intensely, to proudly enfold the young master in his arms, to brazenly monopolize the spot beside him, to become each other’s absolute only.