In a high-end residential complex.
Lu Qi hadn’t brought much luggage—just a suitcase with a few sets of clothes—so there wasn’t much to unpack.
“The decor here is pretty nice, just a bit too spacious,” Zhou Chiye remarked, munching on an apple as he lounged on the sofa, his words echoing slightly in the room.
Shi Zaiqing chimed in, “Ye Qi has so many properties; this feels like a temporary place. Who knows how many times he’s actually stayed here?”
The two-hundred-square-meter apartment had three bedrooms, a living room, and even a swimming pool, fully furnished with all the essentials.
Ye Qi was on good terms with them. Knowing Lu Qi was coming to Binxi, he generously offered this apartment for him to stay in—after all, he had no shortage of properties himself.
Seeing the person emerge from the room, Shi Zaiqing said to him, “Brother Qi, isn’t it lonely living alone in such a big place? How about I and Er Ye come keep you company?”
Lu Qi was still wearing a white shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his firm and well-defined arms. He walked over, opened the fridge, took out a bottle of cola, tilted his head back for a few sips, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the motion—casual and effortless.
He walked over, glanced sideways at Shi Zaiqing, and said, “We’re not three-year-olds. What loneliness are you talking about?”
Kicking Shi Zaiqing’s calf lightly, Shi Zaiqing shifted aside to make room. Lu Qi stepped past him and sat on the adjacent sofa.
“There’s a gathering tomorrow night, Brother Qi. Are you going?” Zhou Chiye asked him.
Lu Qi lowered his head, fiddling with his phone, not even looking up. “No.”
“There aren’t many girls, just two or three. It’s mostly guys.”
“No.”
“Then we won’t go either.”
They knew Lu Qi kept his distance from women and rarely attended gatherings with female attendees. With such a handsome face, living like an ascetic seemed like a waste.
A thought flashed through Zhou Chiye’s mind. He exchanged a knowing glance with Shi Zaiqing before hesitantly asking, “Brother Qi, you’re not… frigid, are you? Or maybe… not up to it?”
Shi Zaiqing patted Lu Qi’s shoulder, his gaze tinged with pity as he comforted, “Bro, we’re still young. Don’t sacrifice happiness for the sake of pride. If there’s a problem, you gotta get it treated.”
The living room fell into an eerie silence. Suddenly, Lu Qi lifted his leg and unceremoniously kicked both of them.
Zhou Chiye dodged swiftly with quick reflexes.
“Damn…” Shi Zaiqing couldn’t avoid it in time and took the kick squarely.
Lu Qi’s expression turned sour as he couldn’t help but curse, “If you two are sick, go get treated. Don’t act crazy around me.”
“What, do I need to put on a show for you to prove my capabilities?”
“Heh, no need for that,” Shi Zaiqing chuckled.
“There’s a racing match tonight. Want to go check it out?” Zhou Chiye asked casually, glancing at a message from a friend.
Hearing the word “racing,” a flicker of interest flashed in Lu Qi’s eyes. “Where?”
“Let me ask.”
Zhou Chiye sent a message to his friend, who replied quickly. “West Suburb Racing Track.”
Lu Qi enjoyed challenging extreme sports, his boundless energy seemingly inexhaustible. Skiing, diving, rock climbing, skydiving, and racing were all activities he was interested in and skilled at.
During the summer vacation when he was eighteen, while Shi Zaiqing and the others were still fooling around, Lu Qi had already obtained his pilot’s license. While they were still driving cars, he was already flying helicopters.
“Driving your Bugatti?”
Lu Qi owned a garage full of sports cars, each worth a fortune. The Bugatti worth over a hundred million wasn’t even the most expensive—the priciest was a limited-edition sports car valued at three hundred million.
His bangs fell over his eyes, so Lu Qi swept them back with a careless flick. A lollipop dangled from his mouth, its origin unknown, giving him an effortlessly cool and roguish charm.
He lowered his head, eyes fixed on his phone, fingers swiftly maneuvering his game character to secure the first kill.
“That car isn’t suitable for racing—its top speed isn’t enough. I’ve had the SSC Tuatara shipped over. We’ll use it tonight.”
Zhou Chiye instantly sprang up from the sofa, staring at Lu Qi in shock before giving him a thumbs-up.
“Holy shit, I thought the Bugatti La Voiture Noire was cool enough, but you actually managed to get that one too. As expected, our crown prince is on another level.”
“When did you buy it?”
Lu Qi replied calmly, “A month ago, when I went to a car exhibition with my brother.”
Both he and Lu Mian had taken a liking to the car at the time, leading to a heated argument. In the end, Lu Qi successfully purchased it.
Lu Mian, unable to outbid him, was so angry he cried and gave Lu Qi the cold shoulder for a month. To this day, Lu Qi remained on his brother’s blocked list.
Shi Zaiqing had long coveted the Bugatti La Voiture Noire and tried to negotiate with Lu Qi.
“Brother Qi, lend me that Bugatti for a spin, will you? I’ve never driven such an expensive sports car before.”
Rarely looking up from his game, Lu Qi glanced at him dismissively and said lightly, “Forget it. That’s my little wife. Have you ever seen a man lend his wife to someone else?”
“Hahaha, a brother’s wife is not to be trifled with,” Zhou Chiye patted Shi Zaiqing’s shoulder, laughing.
“Wait, so does that mean you have a big wife too?”
“Yeah, my future wife,” Lu Qi replied.
Returning home from the company, it was already 8:30 p.m.
Ji Qingyan turned on the light, instantly illuminating the 200-square-meter open-plan apartment. The decor featured a sleek black-and-gold color scheme, with two expansive floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the bay’s nightscape.
Without pausing to rest, Ji Qingyan headed to his room. He removed his wristwatch and placed it on the nightstand, tossed his belt onto the sofa, and unbuttoned his shirt with one hand as he walked toward the bathroom.
A layer of mist gradually formed on the transparent glass, obscuring the figure of the man standing under the shower. Before long, the sound of running water ceased.
Ji Qingyan emerged from the bathroom wearing a black robe. His damp hair dripped water down his neck, and the robe’s V-neck design revealed a broad expanse of his pale chest.
He towel-dried his hair as he walked to the living room, retrieving a bottle of red wine from the shelf. Placing it on the coffee table, he settled onto the sofa, picked up the remote, and turned on the TV to continue watching the movie he hadn’t finished last time.
The sound from the TV broke the quiet of the space. Ji Qingyan poured himself half a glass of wine.
Catching his reflection in the transparent glass, he seemed accustomed to living alone.
He haphazardly dried his hair, set the towel aside, and took a sip of wine, his Adam’s apple bobbing. The bright overhead light cast a glow over him, exuding an aura of restrained sensuality.
Watching the passionate, bittersweet romance between the film’s leads, he thought of that handsome, innocent man.
Picking up his phone from the side, he opened his chat with Lu Qi. Hesitantly, he typed a few words, then deleted them, feeling they weren’t quite right. In the end, he simply sent three dry words.
A minute had passed, and there was still no response to the message sent. Perhaps the other person was busy. Ji Qingyan turned off his phone, placed it beside his leg, and focused on watching the movie.