Fu Yanshi’s fleeting interest might just be for amusement, but even the smallest gestures of generosity from him made Shen Zhinan feel overwhelmingly grateful.
Everything Shen Zhinan struggled to offer, Fu Yanshi already had in abundance.
Shen Zhinan could already faintly foresee how things would end between them.
Before long, Fu Yanshi would grow tired of him, leaving Shen Zhinan alone, trapped in the mire of his own emotions.
Moreover, the values Shen Zhinan had internalized over his first twenty years were deeply ingrained in him. He had no desire to spend his life with a man.
After a long silence, Shen Zhinan finally spoke, his gaze lowered: “Do you want to establish a more long-term relationship with me? The kind where two people can last forever?”
Fu Yanshi: ?
Fu Yanshi: “Isn’t getting married straight away a bit too fast?”
Shen Zhinan: …
“What are you thinking?” Shen Zhinan coughed twice. “There’s an old saying that goes”
Fu Yanshi: “Which one? Let’s hear it.”
Shen Zhinan: “Friendship lasts forever.”
Fu Yanshi: ???
“If you think highly of me, Boss Fu, let’s be friends ironclad buddies for life! If there’s ever anything you need from me in the future, I’ll do my absolute best.”
After all that circling, they were back to the same topic from half a month ago.
Last time, it was a “good person” card; this time, it was upgraded to “ironclad bros.”
Fu Yanshi stared expressionlessly at Shen Zhinan for a long moment before asking, “None of my buddies carry my handkerchief around with them. What’s the meaning of this?”
“Besides, we’ve already slept together what’s the point of pretending to be friends now? What on earth is this omega thinking?”
“I actually brought it that day intending to sell it for money.” Shen Zhinan put on an awkward expression, spouting nonsense without a second thought.
Fu Yanshi: “…”
This conversation was utterly impossible to continue!
Fu Yanshi took several deep breaths. This was the first time in his life he had confessed his feelings to someone, and to be rejected like this the sense of defeat washed over him like a tidal wave.
Along with it came a surge of anger and a faint, almost imperceptible sense of grievance.
He had been performing a one-sided act all by himself, and it was far too humiliating and embarrassing.
Fu Yanshi stared at Shen Zhinan in silence for a long while. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. In the end, without saying another word, he got into his car and drove off.
Shen Zhinan sighed where he stood.
He thought to himself, “Well, that should be the end of our connection.”
At 6 p.m., Shen Zhinan arrived punctually at the suburban villa to tutor Fu Zihan.
After finishing the lesson as usual, just as Shen Zhinan was about to leave, Fu Zihan suddenly tugged at his sleeve and said somewhat shyly, “Mr. Shen, today is my birthday. I’d like to invite you to stay for dinner.”
“Sure,” Shen Zhinan smiled. “I’ll bring you a birthday gift next time.”
Fu Zihan happily wrapped his arms around Shen Zhinan’s waist. “Yay!”
Fu Zihan’s birthday celebration wasn’t as grand as Shen Zhinan had imagined. When Shen Zhinan sat down at the dining table, he only saw Zhou Xin.
Including himself, the so-called birthday party had only three people.
It could be described as rather quiet.
Zhou Xin smiled gently. “Xiao Shen, thank you for staying for dinner. Zihan really likes you.”
Shen Zhinan politely replied, “I like Fu Zihan too. He’s very bright and catches on quickly.”
Zhou Xin suddenly sighed. “His father is quite busy with work and couldn’t make it back for his birthday today. His older brother… probably won’t come either. Zihan adores his brother the most.”
Shen Zhinan didn’t know much about Fu Zihan’s family situation. He was just there to earn his tutoring fee and didn’t pay much attention to the family dynamics, but he couldn’t help feeling a little sad for Fu Zihan.
Children usually enjoy lively celebrations, and having such a quiet birthday probably wouldn’t make him very happy.
Unexpectedly, after making a phone call, Fu Zihan beamed with joy. He threw himself into Zhou Xin’s arms and looked up at her. “Mom! Brother said he’s coming! I’m so happy!”
“He…” A flicker of surprise crossed Zhou Xin’s eyes. “He’s actually willing to come.”
Zhou Xin quickly instructed the cook to prepare a few dishes. The cook immediately recognized them as the favorites of a certain someone and smiled. “Is the young master coming back today?”
Zhou Xin gave a faint smile. “Yes.”
The cook remarked with a sigh, “It’s been a long time since the young master last came back.”
Zhou Xin lowered her eyes and said nothing.
Shen Zhinan caught a whiff of gossip family secrets in wealthy households were always explosive.
Indeed, every family had its own troubles.
About an hour later, when all the dishes were served, Shen Zhinan heard the sound of the door opening. A servant at the entrance called out, “Young Master.”
Curious, he turned to see what this legendary young master looked like, only to lock eyes unexpectedly with a pair of all too familiar peach-blossom eyes.
Shen Zhinan was completely stunned.
He took back his earlier words about “the end of their connection.”
His connection with Fu Yanshi was like a Wi-Fi signal even when it broke, it could automatically reconnect!
What kind of twisted fate is this!
Fu Yanshi clearly hadn’t expected to encounter Shen Zhinan here either. While he was still frozen in surprise, Fu Zihan suddenly emerged from somewhere and threw herself into his arms: “Brother! I’ve missed you so much!”
Fu Yanshi looked down at the little birthday boy of the day, his face expressionless. He handed over the item he was holding: “Birthday gift.”
Fu Zihan jumped up happily: “Thank you, brother!”
Zhou Xin noticed that Fu Yanshi seemed a bit reserved, so she pulled out a chair: “Yanshi’s back, come sit down quickly.”
Fu Yanshi sat down opposite Shen Zhinan. The two locked eyes, then simultaneously looked down, only to see each other’s messages on their phones:
f: ?
s: ?
f: What are you doing here?
s: I’m Fu Zihan’s tutor. He asked me to stay and celebrate his birthday with him. (awkward)
f: Oh.
s: Haha, what a small world!
Fu Yanshi originally wanted to find a suitable reply from his newly collected puppy emoji pack, but accidentally tapped on one that said, “Haha, screw him!”
Ding!
Shen Zhinan’s phone chimed.
Oh crap!
Just as Fu Yanshi was about to recall the message, Shen Zhinan had already seen it.
After recalling it, Fu Yanshi sent: Sent by mistake.
Shen Zhinan glanced up at him, then immediately averted his gaze, understanding dawning on him. The truth always slips out in unguarded moments.
So, someone like Fu Yanshi, after being rejected, had started holding a grudge against him. He definitely didn’t want to see him.
s: I understand.
Fu Yanshi could tell from Shen Zhinan’s expression that he was overthinking things and quickly sent another message: I really sent it by mistake.
s: I really understand.
Watching Shen Zhinan’s evasive gaze, Fu Yanshi wanted to ask him, What exactly do you understand?!
During the meal, a faint awkwardness hung over the dining table.
Zhou Xin poured Shen Zhinan a glass of mango juice. Just as Shen Zhinan was about to speak, Fu Yanshi cut in: “He’s allergic to mangoes.”
Fu Yanshi had spoken without thinking, and by the time he realized what he’d said, it was too late.
Fu Yanshi:
Shen Zhinan:
Zhou Xin:
An even more awkward silence followed.
“Do you two know each other?” Zhou Xin’s gaze shifted back and forth between them.
Shen Zhinan: “Yes.”
Fu Yanshi: “No.”
The two exchanged an awkward glance.
Shen Zhinan: “No.”
Fu Yanshi: “Yes.”
Shen, Fu: “…”
Fu Yanshi coughed lightly: “We just met today.”
Zhou Xin: “Yanshi, how did you know Xiao Shen is allergic to mangoes?”
Fu Yanshi blurted out without thinking: “By his face. Just looking at him, you can tell he’s allergic to mangoes.”
Shen Zhinan wished he would stop. Who would believe such an explanation?
Surprisingly, Zhou Xin didn’t question it and instead smiled, praising, “Yanshi, you’re amazing.”
Shen Zhinan: Seriously? You actually believe that?!
Halfway through the meal, the doorbell suddenly rang.
The housekeeper went to answer it, muttering, “Who could it be at this hour?”
As the door opened, her surprised voice echoed: “Second Young Master?!”
Almost the moment the door swung open, a clap of thunder roared across the sky, followed by a flash of lightning tearing through the night.
A man with a buzz cut stepped into the room, a roguish grin on his face as he spread his arms toward the people at the table: “Surprise!”
Zhou Xin’s chopsticks clattered onto the table with a crisp sound.
Shen Zhinan glanced at her, noticing the disbelief on her face, while his peripheral vision caught the sudden cold shift in Fu Yanshi’s expression.
Who is this guy?
Shen Zhinan wondered inwardly.
He had never seen Fu Yanshi with such an expression before.
The man with the buzz cut approached the dining table. His face wasn’t the friendly type, and his overall demeanor was sharp. Paired with the buzz cut, his first impression was downright menacing.
The buzz-cut man patted Fu Zihan’s head. “Little Zihan, do you remember your second brother? I held you when you were little.”
Fu Zihan was clearly afraid of him, her eyes red as she hid in Zhou Xin’s arms.
“Xiuze, when did you get out? Why didn’t you tell Mom? I could’ve picked you up.” Zhou Xin’s lips trembled slightly, her expression agitated. “Quick, sit down and eat. Aunt Zhou! Bring another set of utensils!”
Fu Xiuzé sat down next to Shen Zhinan. Shen Zhinan glanced at him, then somewhat awkwardly averted his gaze.
This guy looked downright ferocious, with a buzz cut that made him look like an ex-con.
“This one seems unfamiliar,” Fu Xiuze said with a smirk, glancing at Fu Yanshi. “Big brother, is this my sister-in-law? She’s really pretty.”
Fu Yanshi’s expression tightened, and he frowned without saying a word. Zhou Xin nervously observed Fu Yanshi’s expression and quickly explained, “This is the tutor we hired for Zihan.”
Shen Zhinan didn’t know what to say either, forcing a polite smile as he muttered, “Hello.”
Fu Xiuze narrowed his eyes and smiled, bearing an inexplicable resemblance to Fu Yanshi.
He looked at Shen Zhinan with a predatory gleam in his eyes, sizing him up as if he wanted to devour him.
Shen Zhinan broke out in a cold sweat.
“Thanks to my dear big brother, I’m not doing too well,” Fu Xiuzé said, leaning back casually with his hands behind his head. He glanced at Shen Zhinan before turning his gaze to Fu Yanshi. “Big brother, I really can’t thank you enough.”
“You’re welcome,” Fu Yanshi sneered. “Since you’re out now, behave yourself. Don’t end up back inside.”
“Haha,” Fu Xiuze laughed.
Shen Zhinan found the sound utterly chilling.
“Big brother is right,” Fu Xiuze said, his eyes fixed intently on Fu Yanshi. “I will be have to be have.”
Fu Yanshi scoffed coldly and stood up from his seat. He looked at Shen Zhinan. “I’m heading down the mountain now. Teacher Shen, would you like to come? I can give you a ride.”
Shen Zhinan, already unnerved by the tense atmosphere, nodded vigorously. “Let’s go.”
Zhou Xin tried to persuade them, “Yanshi, it’s so late. Why bother? Stay the night here.”
Fu Yanshi’s expression remained impassive. “No need. It feels like a foul rat has suddenly appeared in this house there’s a strange smell.”
Bro, that’s so direct!
Shen Zhinan quickly glanced at Fu Xiuze’s expression out of the corner of his eye. It was indeed terrifyingly sinister, as if he wanted to eat someone alive.
This was no place to linger.
Shen Zhinan followed closely behind Fu Yanshi.
Just as the two got into the car, a heavy rain began to fall without warning.
Zhou Xin hurried to the doorway and called out to them, “It’s raining it’s too dangerous. Stay here for the night. You can leave tomorrow once the rain stops.”
Zhou Xin was right. Mountain roads were most treacherous during heavy rain, and accidents were highly likely. It was indeed very dangerous.
In the end, the two of them didn’t leave.
Zhou Xin had originally planned to let Shen Zhinan sleep in the guest room, but Fu Yanshi grabbed Shen Zhinan’s wrist and said, “He can sleep with me. There’s a sofa bed in my room no need to go through the trouble.”
Shen Zhinan wanted to say something, but Fu Yanshi tightened his grip and unceremoniously pulled him into his own room.
Zhou Xin muttered to herself, “But they just met”
As soon as Shen Zhinan entered the room, he quickly hugged himself defensively. “F-Fu Yanshi! That domineering CEO forced love trope is so outdated. Can’t we just talk this out properly?”
Fu Yanshi looked at him speechlessly and flicked his forehead. “I already told you, I’m not the CEO I’m the actual controlling shareholder.”
Seeing that Fu Yanshi showed no signs of turning into a wolf, Shen Zhinan finally relaxed.
“Where’s the sofa bed?” Shen Zhinan glanced around.
Fu Yanshi replied, “The bed is plenty big. It’s more than enough for both of us.”
The word “sleep” is a verb, but it can also transform into a much more intense verb.
A faint awkwardness filled the air.
Fu Yanshi added, “Just sleeping. Literally.”
That night, as the two lay in bed, Shen Zhinan couldn’t help but ask, “What’s the deal with you and that guy earlier? What really happened between you two?”
It was obvious there was some juicy drama behind it all. The stories of these wealthy families were always bizarre and unpredictable.
Fu Yanshi said, “It’s a long story.”
Shen Zhinan was already prepared to listen to a thrilling tale of family secrets before falling asleep. But then Fu Yanshi continued, “So I’ll make it short.”
“Long story short, he tried to poison me, failed, and I reported him to the police. He ended up in jail.”
That was way too short!
But despite the brevity, the information packed a punch.
Shen Zhinan asked, “Why did he want to kill you?”
“For the inheritance, of course. He thought that if I died, the Fu family would be his,” Fu Yanshi explained. “But he was being naive. My father has so many illegitimate children, I can’t even count them all. Not just in China there are plenty overseas too. How could he possibly kill them all?”
It was exactly the kind of answer one would expect a classic tale of wealthy family drama.
“Fu Xiuze and Fu Zihan were both born to Zhou Xin,” Fu Yanshi continued. “Back then, Zhou Xin knelt and begged me to sign a letter of understanding to reduce Fu Xiuze’s sentence, but I refused.”
“Originally, he was sentenced to ten years, but he got out in just seven,” Fu Yanshi sneered. “My father must have pulled some strings behind the scenes.”
No wonder, Shen Zhinan thought.
No wonder Zhou Xin’s attitude toward Fu Yanshi felt so strange there was a weird sense of ingratiation.
Remembering Fu Xiuze’s appearance, Shen Zhinan shuddered. “So… now that he’s out, will he try to get revenge on you?”
Fu Yanshi turned to face Shen Zhinan directly. “Of course.”
Shen Zhinan bolted upright in bed. “Then what are you going to do?!” That Fu Xiuze seemed like the type who would stop at nothing.
Fu Yanshi smiled. “Worried about me?”
“How could I not be worried?!” Shen Zhinan exclaimed. “That guy what’s his name, Ze? looks downright vicious!”
Fu Yanshi said, “Don’t worry about me just yet. Worry about yourself first.”
Shen Zhinan: “What?!”
“Didn’t you see the look in his eyes? He’s interested in you,” Fu Yanshi sighed. “That’s why I made you sleep with me. If you were alone, he’d probably climb into your bed in the middle of the night.”
“What!?” Shen Zhinan shuddered, genuinely frightened. “He can’t possibly be that depraved!”
“He looks like a total creep!” Shen Zhinan recalled the way Fu Xiuzhe had looked at him, and the more he thought about it, the more disgusted he felt. “How dare he even think about it! If he dares to lay a finger on me, I’ll punch him straight into outer space!”
Fu Yanshi was amused by his words. After laughing for a while, he said, “Don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you.”
Somehow, those words felt reassuring.
Shen Zhinan fell silent for a moment, then sighed. “But what if he harms you again? Suddenly, I think being poor isn’t so bad. You rich people really tend to attract some bizarre characters.”
“Yeah, I often feel out of place because I’m too normal. That’s why I left right after high school,” Fu Yanshi agreed. “I’ve already said I’m not interested in the Fu family’s business, but these people keep treating me as their imaginary rival.”
“As long as I bear the Fu surname, they won’t leave me alone.”
“They?” Shen Zhinan caught the key word, horrified. “Good heavens! There’s more than one person who wants you dead?”
“Exactly, ‘they.’ Some of them are the old-timers who started the business with my father. I was kidnapped several times as a child,” Fu Yanshi said casually, as if it were a normal occurrence. “The only reason I’m still alive is that I’m tough as nails.”
Shen Zhinan looked at Fu Yanshi’s calm and gentle profile. Behind those seemingly indifferent words lay countless harrowing escapes from death.
Behind a life of luxury lurked dangers unimaginable to ordinary people.
Fate was not biased everyone endured suffering to varying degrees.
Shen Zhinan felt a pang of discomfort.
He wanted to comfort Fu Yanshi but didn’t know what to say. After a moment of silence, it was Fu Yanshi who spoke first: “Alright, enough of this melodrama. Let’s go to sleep.”
Shen Zhinan nodded. “Okay.”
Early the next morning, the rain had stopped, and Fu Yanshi took Shen Zhinan away.
When they reached Shen Zhinan’s place, Fu Yanshi didn’t leave immediately. After hesitating for a moment, he said, “Move in with me for a while. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone.”
The security in Fu Yanshi’s residential complex was exceptionally tight ordinary people couldn’t even get in.
Fu Yanshi knew exactly what kind of person Fu Xiuzhe was.
Especially since Shen Zhinan had slept in Fu Yanshi’s room last night, Fu Xiuzhe would definitely not let him off easily.
“But…” Shen Zhinan hesitated.
Fu Yanshi had already confessed his feelings living together would be too awkward.
What if Fu Yanshi suddenly lost control and things got out of hand? What would he do then?
Fu Yanshi seemed to sense Shen Zhinan’s unease. “Don’t overthink it. You can take the guest room, and I’ll stay in the master bedroom. I do like you, but as you said, forced love is outdated. After the New Year, I’ll find a way to send him abroad, and then you can move back.”
Fu Yanshi’s tone grew more serious. “I’m not trying to scare you, but that lunatic is capable of anything.”
Even if Fu Yanshi were to lose control, it would still be better than falling into the hands of that psychopath!
It’s not the thief you fear, but the thief who’s always watching you.
If he were locked in a dark room by that convict, there would be no one to hear his cries for help!
That guy wasn’t afraid to kill what wouldn’t he dare to do?
The more Shen Zhinan thought about it, the colder he felt inside. If he were caught by that convict, not only would his heart turn cold he’d be a goner too.
As a promising young man, he had no intention of saying goodbye to this world at such a tender age!
“Move, move, I’ll move!” Shen Zhinan hastily replied. “I’ll move today!”
Though his life was tough, having no life at all seemed even tougher!
Shen Zhinan didn’t have much luggage, and Fu Yanshi’s car could just fit it all, eliminating the need for a moving company.
Shen Zhinan had visited Fu Yanshi’s apartment a few times before. It was a spacious flat, with a living room larger than a classroom in the Alliance University’s teaching building. The bathroom in the bedroom was even more spacious than Shen Zhinan’s cramped, rundown rental.
Even the guest bedroom had excellent natural lighting and ventilation, complete with an ensuite bathroom and a walk-in closet.
Shen Zhinan thought to himself, when would his name ever appear on the property deed of such a grand home?
After tidying up for a while, Shen Zhinan heard a knock on the door. It was Fu Yanshi, inviting him out for a meal.
Shen Zhinan had assumed it would be takeout, but to his surprise, Fu Yanshi had cooked it himself.
The dishes looked impressive vibrant in color, fragrant, and utterly enticing.
“You can cook too?” Shen Zhinan found it unbelievable. Fu Yanshi didn’t seem like the type who knew his way around a kitchen.
“I’m good at a lot of things,” Fu Yanshi said with a smile. “If you were with me, you’d be living the good life.”
Ignoring the latter part of his remark, Shen Zhinan quickly took a bite of the stir-fried beef with yellow peppers, followed by a taste of the shredded pork with garlic sauce. He gave the highest praise he could muster: “Your cooking is good enough to open a restaurant.”
To win a man’s heart, you must first win his stomach.
“Sigh, an alpha like me is hard to come by these days presentable in the living room and capable in the kitchen,” Fu Yanshi sighed, feigning regret. Then, with a grin, he added, “Friendship can always evolve. Are you sure you won’t consider being with me?”
“Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!” Shen Zhinan nearly choked on his rice. Patting his chest, he replied with utmost seriousness, “Let me be honest with you!”
“Where I’m from, the custom is that men can only be with women. Otherwise, it’s considered disrespectful to our ancestors, and the villagers would tie you up and throw you in a pig cage!”
Fu Yanshi: ???