With Jiang Shunnian’s words, Fu Yanli’s gaze naturally drifted down to the young man’s full, glossy lips, flushed a watery pink.
That night, they had shared a kiss.
Lost in a drug-induced haze back then, the two had explored each other purely on instinct.
Yet amid that peak of ecstasy, Fu Yanli still remembered how soft and intoxicating the young man’s lips had been, drawing him into utter surrender.
Fu Yanli’s eyes darkened, suppressing certain indecent thoughts as he stared at Jiang Shunnian and asked, “Are you wanting to practice ahead of time, to avoid raising suspicions?” His voice had already turned low and husky.
Jiang Shunnian wasn’t surprised that his intentions had been seen through. He nodded.
Though he was an actor, he had never tackled romance scenes before—his onscreen first kiss was still ahead of him, and he had no dating experience either. He worried that he and Fu Yanli might not convincingly play a couple who’d been in love for years at the banquet, letting Qin Guanyue see right through them.
He had to ensure it was foolproof.
Because he trusted Fu Yanli, he’d come straight to him. But under that intense stare, Jiang Shunnian’s ear roots began to tingle numbly. He didn’t dare meet his eyes.
A fierce internal battle raged in Fu Yanli’s heart—years of ingrained upbringing and restraint clashing against the temptation to kiss Jiang Shunnian. He stayed silent for a moment before finally yielding to desire.
“It is necessary.” Fu Yanli raised a hand to steady Jiang Shunnian’s shoulder, not gripping hard but ready in case he bolted. “To my room?”
Jiang Shunnian shook his head at once. “No need. Nono’s already asleep, and you’re the only one on this floor—no one will disturb us.”
A room felt too intimate; he couldn’t just barge in. People always lost control more easily in relaxed spaces, and he was a little scared.
Fu Yanli didn’t press. Instead, he pushed Jiang Shunnian’s shoulder, turning him around and pinning him gently against the wall.
With his back to the dimly lit wall sconce, Fu Yanli’s sharp features melted into shadow, revealing an unprecedented predatory edge.
Jiang Shunnian’s body went rigid, his back pressed to the cool wall, hands unsure where to land. Tension made him want to flee.
He comforted himself: Good thing I’m smart enough to practice with Fu Yanli ahead of time. If a kiss came out of nowhere tomorrow and I froze up like this, it’d give us away for sure.
How would Fu Yanli kiss? Just a light brush, lips barely touching? Or deeper, like four years ago?
Jiang Shunnian’s gaze darted aimlessly, unfocused.
And why hasn’t he kissed yet? Jiang Shunnian’s heart felt like it was about to leap from his mouth.
Fu Yanli savored the sight before him—the young man’s flushed earlobes were enticing, his delicate throat bobbing with nervous swallows was enticing, but most enticing of all were those plump lips.
He leaned in slowly—
The thick, ambiguous tension peaked in that instant. Jiang Shunnian instinctively closed his eyes, held his breath, bracing for the kiss.
But it never came.
Puzzled, he cracked his eyes open and looked up at Fu Yanli—only for a warm press on his forehead. Fu Yanli had kissed him there.
“Shunnian.” Fu Yanli cupped Jiang Shunnian’s jaw with one hand, his thumb brushing those burning earlobes by accident. His golden eyes were dark as ink. “Go back and rest well. Leave everything tomorrow to me.”
With that, he stepped back like a gentleman.
Jiang Shunnian couldn’t tell if he felt disappointed or relieved. He regained his breath, fingers idly scraping the wall as he nodded dazedly. “Okay.”
“I’ll walk you to the stairs.”
“No, no need.”
Jiang Shunnian gauged his shaky legs and turned to flee—but he’d overestimated himself. They hadn’t caught up yet, and the next moment, he lost his balance, tumbling straight toward the floor.
Fu Yanli’s reflexes were lightning-fast. He grabbed Jiang Shunnian’s arm and yanked him into his embrace. Jiang Shunnian landed against a broad, warm chest scented with fresh grass and wood.
Shame and fury burned through him as he squeezed his eyes shut, wishing for a hole to crawl into.
But Fu Yanli didn’t laugh. He steadied Jiang Shunnian’s shoulders and escorted him to his door.
“Shunnian, good night.”
“Good night.”
Fu Yanli lingered after Jiang Shunnian slipped inside, then turned back to his own room.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to kiss those lips directly—he was afraid of losing control and scaring him.
His flawless memory had recalled the exquisite pleasure of that kiss from the start.
Thirty years alive, and he’d always thought himself passionless. Yet just looking at this young man’s face unraveled him.
Good thing his shirt was loose, or Jiang Shunnian would’ve noticed.
Back in his room, Fu Yanli endured as long as he could before the tension refused to fade. In the end, he headed to the bathroom for an ice-cold shower.
Jiang Shunnian floated back to bed on unsteady legs, his heartbeat thundering clear in the quiet night. He even accidentally woke Nono.
“Daddy?” Nono rubbed his eyes, his sleepy little voice puzzled. “Did you just go out?”
Jiang Shunnian quickly lay down and pulled his son into his arms. “Yeah, I got up to use the bathroom.”
He might’ve bluffed it off, but Nono’s soft little face brushed against Jiang Shunnian’s feverish skin. His expression turned serious in an instant, and he scrambled upright. “Daddy, you’re burning up! Are you sick with a fever?”
He remembered last winter—Daddy had caught the flu, burned hot with fever, and only cooled down after shots at the hospital.
Jiang Shunnian’s face flushed hotter at the memory of recent events. He couldn’t think of a good excuse.
But seeing the little one about to summon the smart system to turn on the lights, he clamped a hand over his mouth. “Daddy’s fine. Just had a nightmare and got scared.”
Nono blinked his big, pretty eyes, not quite buying it.
Grown-ups always try to fool kids, but they can’t fool me.
“It’s true.” Jiang Shunnian deployed his full acting chops. “I dreamed you grew up and left far away, not by Daddy’s side anymore. Daddy was so lonely, it woke me up scared.”
The words stirred real worry in him.
Afraid of holding too tight and stunting Nono’s growth. Afraid of one slip and someone hurting him.
Nono burrowed right back into his arms, dead serious. “No way, Daddy. I’ll stay with you forever!”
Jiang Shunnian hugged Nono tight and drew a deep breath. “Daddy will stay with Nono forever too.”
Thanks to this little interlude, Jiang Shunnian had no mind left for that unfinished kiss with Fu Yanli. He slept soundly through the night.
Nono had a great memory. The moment he woke, he patted Daddy’s forehead to confirm it was normal temperature before relaxing.
It left Jiang Shunnian feeling guilty as hell.
The banquet was set for six p.m., but Yu Yanchen started bombarding Jiang Shunnian with messages at dawn—one minute claiming he’d done emergency skincare and salvaged a bit; the next asking what gift wouldn’t embarrass his bro; then firing over photos of outfit options, polling which one Jiang Shunnian should wear.
Acting more like the main event than Jiang Shunnian himself.
Fu Yanli headed to the company after breakfast. His workload had always been moderate—Fu Corporation ran like clockwork, with few matters needing his personal touch.
But with the Qin Family’s threats looming, Fu Yanli bucked his usual pace, throwing himself into a frenzy of work.
Shen Boheng took his team to Yunhuan Hotel for final checks. Nono, learning he couldn’t study in the evening, had shifted lessons to morning and was now practicing speaking with Fu Shizhang.
After this stretch of study, Nono’s spoken English had advanced to where Jiang Shunnian caught only half of it. For overseas travel, Jiang Shunnian could just trail behind Nono.
Shen Lingyi had booked in-home skincare with a nurse. Jiang Shunnian was the only idle one in the house.
So he dove back into his script, fine-tuning his role.
After lunch, the styling team arrived at Fu Family Manor to prep Jiang Shunnian.
They gave Nono a mini-makeover too.
With Nono’s features already exquisitely perfect, the stylist just added soft, natural micro-curls to match his outfit, making him look even more like a little angel.
Jiang Shunnian’s was more involved. They dyed his hair a temporary chestnut brown, with a few strands falling softly over his forehead—clear, gentle, refreshing.
His skin was flawless, so minimal makeup: just shaped brows and clear lip gloss.
Feeling underpaid, the stylist perfected every detail, down to each strand of hair.
When Jiang Shunnian emerged in his suit from the dressing room, even Shen Lingyi stared, then murmured, “Somehow feels like Yanli doesn’t quite measure up.”
Shen Lingyi was dressed to the nines herself—a white hand-embroidered, elegant trailing cheongsam paired with imperial green jade accessories, signaling how seriously she took the event.
“Let’s go. Yanli will be here soon.” Shen Lingyi extended a hand to Jiang Shunnian.
He took it naturally, his right hand holding Nono’s.
Fu Yanli had changed into his own formalwear and styled up—hair slicked back, exposing his chiseled, handsome features. His mature, dignified aura was magnetic.
They arrived early at the hotel, resting in a private room.
Jiang Shunnian took in the banquet setup and could only think of one phrase: breathtakingly beautiful.
Low-key opulence with refined elegance, in shades of platinum and blue that echoed their outfits perfectly.
No wonder headhunters kept poaching Shen Boheng.
Jiang Shunnian’s role tonight was simple: stand up front with Nono for face time, let Fu Shizhang handle hosting—no need to speak. Then trail Fu Yanli to greet a few familiar elite families before retreating to rest. Shen Boheng would send dinner up separately.
Jiang Shunnian memorized it all.
The entire flow had been rehearsed endlessly, with contingencies planned for every snag. For Jiang Shunnian, though, the one wildcard was Qin Guanyue.
But he wouldn’t fear it—Fu Yanli would be by his side the whole time.
As six o’clock neared, guests trickled in. Yu Yanchen messaged that he’d hitched a ride with President Pei—white Koenigsegg, insanely cool. Wondered if he’d ever earn enough for one, or if schmoozing Pei might let him touch the wheel.
Jiang Shunnian couldn’t help chuckling.
Fu Yanli glanced over. “Who is it?”
“A friend I invited to the banquet.” Jiang Shunnian explained, “We’re close. He even helped line up my comeback role.”
Fu Yanli felt a twinge of jealousy but masked it smoothly. “Could you introduce us tonight?”
“Sure.” Jiang Shunnian suspected nothing.
With Fu Family’s status now neck-and-neck with Qin Family’s—and soaring under Fu Yanli’s lead, dominant in S City—most guests needed no personal welcome. Shen Boheng could handle registrations.
Until nearly seven, when Fu Yanli tucked Nono into Fu Shizhang’s arms and told Jiang Shunnian, “Shunnian, time to go.”
Qin Guanyue had arrived.
Jiang Shunnian’s brows furrowed briefly before smoothing. In such a public spot, Qin Guanyue wouldn’t dare act.
He followed Fu Yanli to the first-floor hall. Soon, Qin Guanyue approached with Qin Huan, assistant in tow carrying a gift box—looking every bit the hypocritically righteous figure.
Spotting Fu Yanli and Jiang Shunnian in matching styles, obvious couple’s attire, the smile froze on his face. He stepped up with a cold sneer. “The Fu Family really knows how to make a spectacle of this sort of thing.”
“Family tradition across generations: when you love someone, you cherish, adore, and value them.” Fu Yanli’s tone was flat, his sarcasm cutting. “I won’t have your ‘fortune’ of left and right embraces in this lifetime, President Qin.”
Qin Huan tilted his head up at Jiang Shunnian. “Uncle, where’s Nono? I brought him a gift. Gotta give it personally.”
No respect in his tone—he clearly thought nothing of Jiang Shunnian.
The sight of Qin Huan ignited fury in Jiang Shunnian, who itched to kick him out. Luckily, Fu Yanli gripped his wrist in time, calming him. He replied coldly, “Yunnuo doesn’t know Young Master Qin at all. He can’t accept such intentions. I’ll convey his thanks on his behalf.”
Before Qin Huan could retort, Fu Yanli cut in. “The banquet’s about to start. Please take your seats inside, President Qin.”
Their voices weren’t loud, but the hall wasn’t noisy—the tense, powder-keg atmosphere carried.
Qin Guanyue eyed the youth—strikingly handsome, dressed in lavish finery—biting his teeth before dragging Qin Huan inside.
Qin Huan went reluctantly but was hauled away.
Jiang Shunnian exhaled softly. Fu Yanli asked, “You okay?”
“Fine.” Jiang Shunnian shook his head.
This was just the beginning.
Once all the guests had arrived, Fu Shizhang came down with Shen Lingyi, carrying Nono in his arms. His face beamed with smiles as he announced to the entire hall that Jiang Yunnuo was a child of the Fu Family, born to his son Fu Yanli and his beloved partner Jiang Shunnian.
He further declared that Jiang Yunnuo would be the next head of the Fu Family.
Though Nono didn’t fully understand, he played along perfectly. His eyes, a profound dark gold hue inherited from the Fu bloodline, shone with solemn seriousness. Held in Fu Shizhang’s arms, the little boy showed no trace of stage fright—his presence was commanding even at such a young age.
When the guests had first received their invitations, many had wondered if there was a mistake. Why Jiang Yunnuo and not Fu Yunnuo?
But tonight, their questions were answered. The Fu Family had chosen to let the child take the surname of Fu Yanli’s same-sex partner.
This was unprecedented among prestigious families.
Yet the Fu Family’s reputation for unwavering loyalty had been renowned since the last century. They conducted business with integrity, never resorting to underhanded tactics, and their name carried immense prestige.
It was only natural for them to make such a move.
Fu Yanli had long been known in elite circles as the ultimate bachelor—top-tier in looks, ability, and wealth. Countless heiresses from powerful families had vied for a marriage alliance, only to be politely turned away. Now, seeing Fu Yanli’s hand intertwined tightly with Jiang Shunnian’s on stage, they all gave up hope.
Jiang Shunnian was simply too striking. Even the finest genes from generations of elite beauties couldn’t compare—meticulously groomed or not, no one in the room matched even half his allure.
And their child was the perfect blend of both fathers’ best traits, practically bullying everyone present with his stunning looks.
No wonder Fu Yanli kept holding his hand the whole time, staying glued to his side.
Though Jiang Shunnian had mentally prepared himself, being stared at by so many people still made him tense. Fortunately, Fu Yanli never let go of his hand—not even when his palm grew sweaty.
Fu Yanli’s hand remained dry and warm, steady and reliable, just like the man himself.
After a brief appearance, Fu Shizhang carried Nono away—he was still too young for socializing. Qin Huan tried to chase after them but was blocked by security Shen Boheng had arranged in advance. Furious, Qin Huan lashed out with a kick, but the guards didn’t budge an inch, holding him firmly in place.
Qin Guanyue’s face darkened. “Is this how the Fu Family treats its guests?”
Shen Boheng smiled back. “Please don’t take offense, President Qin. The young master is precious—if anything happens on my watch, the main family will have my head. I hope you understand.”
On the banquet floor, Qin Guanyue didn’t dare cause a scene, and Shen Boheng wouldn’t yield to soft words or threats.
He glanced around. The other guests had already clustered in groups, chatting animatedly—yet no one approached him.
Only then did Qin Guanyue sense something was off.
The Qin Family was now under his younger brother Qin Guanting’s control. As full brothers from the same mother, Qin Guanting’s influence allowed him free rein in the entertainment industry.
But everyone here tonight was a legitimate head or heir of a prestigious family, all on good terms with the Fu Family. Not a single one close to the Qin Family had been invited!
They might fear the Qin Family’s power, but they openly shunned him.
So, Fu Yanli had deliberately invited him just to humiliate him.
Well played, he thought.
Qin Guanyue flew into a rage. Spotting Fu Yanli and Jiang Shunnian nearby, he reached out to block their path.
“Such a vicious mind you have, President Fu.” Qin Guanyue’s eyes gleamed with malice as he sneered, “Are you really not afraid of offending the Qin Family?”
Fu Yanli let out a low chuckle, though his gaze held no mirth—only chilling intimidation. “I thought you knew, President Qin. From the moment you disrespected my partner, we’ve been locked in irreconcilable enmity.”
