How could he possibly go crazy over meat buns?!
…
Grasse Academy, the gate was tightly locked.
The streetlights were half off, and the teaching building was pitch black.
“…” Pei Zhen’s car sat alone at the school entrance, dazed.
His heart beat erratically, and his legs felt like lead.
What was going on… the lights were all off, what about that promised extra class?
He actually lied to him.
Han Fu lied to him?!
And he had stupidly bought Han Fu’s favorite buns, driving an hour specially to bring them to him while still hot.
Haha, hahaha…
Who the hell would accept just a few thousand a month and still blend fragrances for you, still want to serve your poker face!
Of course he’d run off to have fun, probably already looking for the next sugar daddy!
He had even carefully wrapped the buns in his coat to keep them warm for the little wolfdog. He’d never seen a sugar daddy so stupid. Mai Zixi was right: sugar babies were all liars, and he still…
He slumped over the steering wheel, instantly deflated.
After a while, he opened the car door and stepped out, taking a breath in the cool night breeze—enough, pull yourself together.
If you pass out from a heart attack in this godforsaken wilderness, no one will save you, and you don’t want your tombstone to say you died of anger caused by a male escort, do you?
By the time he came to his senses, he was climbing over the wall.
“…” Yes, the occasional wall-climbing ability of a disabled thirty-year-old man.
He almost fell, and the iron railing jabbed painfully into his inner thigh, but Pei Zhen didn’t care about any of that.
He probably was the type who wouldn’t cry until he saw the coffin.
Absolutely not because he cared about the little wolfdog.
Nothing like that, never in this lifetime.
From the start, he was positioned as a sugar baby, a form of end-of-life care, a little cutie bought with money. No matter how heartwarming, how sweet, how good his service, it was impossible to develop feelings, let alone become addicted!
And yet, here he was, climbing a wall in the deep dusk?
Embarrassing.
A thirty-year-old man, why was he still so indescribable.
…
Looking around the entire academy, only the windows on the library’s ground floor still seemed to glow with faint light.
He walked toward the light. The window wasn’t shut tight, and faint laughter came from inside.
Pei Zhen stood still against the stone wall by the window.
The reflection in the glass panes cast shadows on his gloomy face.
He breathed a slight sigh of relief… he saw Han Fu.
Good, he wasn’t out playing, and probably hadn’t gone looking for another sugar daddy either. He was just earnestly organizing essential oil bottles in the library.
The tightness at the corner of his mouth had just eased when he saw another person.
Yu Wenzhe, that super cute bun-faced handsome guy.
In the huge library, just the two of them, alone and chatting and laughing.
…
“Oh my god, are you serious?” Yu Wenzhe said helplessly, “What do you mean I’m younger than you? I’ll be twenty-eight next month, okay!”
Han Fu: “Twenty-eight?? Really? You don’t look it at all, you’re not kidding me? I always thought you were twenty at most!”
Twenty-eight, then that’s only two years younger than Zhenzhen?
But Yu Wenzhe’s whole bun face was so soft, looking extremely youthful, seeming even younger and cuter than him at twenty-three!
“I wish I could be in my early twenties too,” Yu Wenzhe sighed, “but how is that possible? I’ve been at Grasse for over two years now, nearly three. I graduated from university at twenty-two, worked in product design for three years to save up money, then took all my savings to come study perfumery—do the math?”
“And the result, sigh—”
As he spoke, he touched on his sore spot: “I’ve been stuck in Class 5 for almost two years. No matter how hard I try, I can’t move up. Half of my classmates from back then have already advanced to Sixth Phase Class, and a few prodigies have even been hired by famous brands, successfully becoming professional perfumers. But as for me…”
He laughed bitterly.
“Maybe he was right. I only have the passion for perfumery, but not the talent.”
Han Fu frowned: “Who said that?”
Yu Wenzhe: “Lister.”
Han Fu: “Ah?”
“A year ago, Lister came to Grasse with Master Campbell to give a lecture. The master guided us in blending fragrances on the spot, and Lister happened to come over and instruct me. That’s when he told me… to give up, that I just wasn’t cut out for this, and persisting would only be a waste of time.”
Han Fu was startled: “No no! You absolutely mustn’t listen to Lister!”
“Don’t you think that mixed-blood guy has always been unreliable? He has no real skill, just good at talking big. The moment he sees someone who might threaten him, he ‘advises them to drop out’. I’d say he doesn’t think you lack ability at all; he’s just afraid of being rubbed against the smooth floor by you in the future—rubbing and rubbing!”
“Pfft.” Yu Wenzhe laughed, and some light finally returned to his previously dimmed eyes.
Though he knew it was just kind consolation, warm words were indeed effective when you were down.
After laughing, he suddenly said seriously: “To be honest, Han Fu, I truly envy you.”
“Envy?”
“Yeah, envy that you’re so young and have found a direction to strive for, and have so much talent.” Yu Wenzhe lowered his head, carefully tracing the labels of small bottles.
“Unlike me, already twenty-eight, quit my job to pursue my passion in a last-ditch effort, thought I had courage, but ended up utterly unsuccessful. Can’t go back to my old industry either, and I’m just getting older, haha, hahaha…”
“Not to mention, you’re only twenty-three and you’ve already found that special someone you really like.”
“Unlike me, I’ve never even been in a relationship, never been liked or pursued by anyone. I’m a total insulation body; this life feels like it’s been lived for nothing.”
This time, Han Fu didn’t continue to console him.
Because upon hearing Yu Wenzhe say he envied him for finding that special someone, he was already completely lost in smugness, not hearing a word that followed.
“Mm-hmm, I also think I’m super lucky. He’s wonderful, my Zhenzhen is wonderful!”
“I really, really like him! Every morning when I wake up, I feel so happy. Old Yu, you wouldn’t understand if you’ve never been in love—it’s the kind of like where, if I could, I’d roll around right now and knock over every shelf in the entire library!”
Yu Wenzhe: “…”
“Please don’t! We can’t afford to pay for the essential oils in here!”
…
Outside the library, under the window where Pei Zhen still stood, the night breeze was a bit chilly, and the glass was quite soundproof.
He could only see the two interacting under the light without hearing what they were saying. After standing for a while, he spotted a window on the other side near the entrance and corridor that seemed to be slightly ajar.
He moved along the wall, stepping lightly across the dark grass.
Halfway, he thought several times about just going back to the car.
Those two were chatting so happily; no matter what he heard, it would probably be painful.
…
No, that’s not right.
Why should he back down? He was the employer; he and Han Fu had a contract!
The eight-hour workday moved to the evening; it was already nine o’clock. During work hours, the little wolfdog should be with him—why keep someone else company?!
Even if it wasn’t time yet, he could demand mandatory overtime!
Don’t want to? Working in a company, when the boss asks you to work overtime after hours, can you refuse? Refuse and get fired—there’s nothing to be reluctant about!
Anyway, if you don’t want this job, there are plenty of cute little boys scrambling to take it!
So many people scrambling…
scrambling…
But, it’s simply impossible for anyone to do a better job than Han Fu.
That focused gaze, meticulous care and affection, the preciousness of holding him in the palm of his hand at all times…
Sigh, he’d always claimed he was an undemanding sugar daddy; actually, his demands were pervertedly high.
Over a month of keeping him, only hand-holding and touching, occasional kisses initiated by the little wolfdog. He’d clearly paid money, yet had never enjoyed a sugar daddy’s most basic rights…
It wasn’t that he had no desires.
A thirty-year-old man’s body, how could it not crave caresses and tenderness? But he just didn’t want that kind of low, sexual comfort.
He wanted to wait until they were a bit more familiar, more intimate; real or fake, he could at least hypnotize himself into “believing” that the other person somewhat truly liked and desired him.
Clearly a monetary relationship, yet wanting it to resemble true love.
This demand… if not pervertedly high, then what?
…
He stepped onto the wooden floor of the corridor; the creaking sounds made Pei Zhen even more careful with his steps.
“Old Yu, by the way, when do we get paid?”
Finally, under the half-open window, Pei Zhen clearly heard the voices of the two in the library.
Echoing under the vast arched dome in the silent night, clear and distinct.
“On the 15th. The pay here is generous; they’ll advance you a full month’s salary ahead of time.”
Hearing Yu Wenzhe say this, Han Fu breathed a huge sigh of relief: “Great, great! Then I can make it in time!”
“You know, my Zhenzhen’s birthday is on the 16th.”
“Since last month, I’ve been eyeing a limited-edition vintage perfume for him at the auction house! You know Les Étoiles, ‘Beauty of the Comet’, Marilyn Monroe’s favorite?”
Yu Wenzhe: “‘Beauty of the Comet’? Isn’t it still being sold?” And it’s still a classic that sells every year, right?
“It’s different! Sure enough, you also don’t know—many people don’t know. I just read it in a book. That perfume’s formula has been updated five or six times already. The high-end formula our grandmothers’ generation used is now globally unavailable and banned!”
“And the old version ‘Beauty of the Comet’ bottle is so beautiful—white porcelain, shaped like Monroe’s classic little white dress! That version is extinct now. I spotted it with great effort and truly believe my Zhenzhen would absolutely love it!”
At this, the little wolfdog heaved a big sigh with rivers of tears and looked into the distance: “Turns out, I’d already put down a deposit, but last month at work I accidentally messed up and had a bunch of pay deducted, so suddenly I didn’t have the remaining balance.”
Yu Wenzhe was intrigued: “An auction house? You can buy vintage perfume at an auction house?”
Han Fu: “…”
Han Fu: “No, I’ve been talking for so long, and the only thing you care about is the auction house?”
“Yeah!” Yu Wenzhe even nodded, “This auction house you mentioned, what kind of place is it? I always thought it was like a pawnshop. So you can actually buy out-of-print vintage perfumes there? Is this auction house nearby? Can you take me to see it next time?”
Han Fu: “If the pay is on the 15th, can it be deposited into the account that same day?”
Yu Wenzhe: “If not, I can lend you the money first. It’s just over ten thousand; I do have that much saved.”
Han Fu instantly became happy, grabbing his hands: “Old Yu, you’re truly a good friend!”
Yu Wenzhe: “So, when are you taking me to the auction house?”
“…”
Outside the door, Pei Zhen leaned against the wall.
Dazed, he slowly half-slid down to sit on the ground.
These past days, he’d been brooding alone, his mind full of the worst thoughts.
And yet, the little wolfdog just wanted to save some money to buy him Les Étoiles as a birthday gift.
“…”
The conversation inside turned entirely to the auction house after that.
Then came all kinds of vintage perfumes, and Han Xiaohua showed off various trivial details and fun facts from the perfumery books he’d been reading lately.
And Pei Zhen silently leaned against the wall, slowly, slowly covering his face.
Truly stupid.
Thinking so ill of others, even spinning conspiracy theories.
So stupid it made him want to cry.
The corridor floor was pine; water droplets fell on it and quickly dried into marks.
He bit his lip, trembling, not wanting to make a sound. In his blurry vision, on his left ring finger where a wedding band should be, he wore an ordinary black jade ring.
Not given by anyone important; just a cheap trinket he’d randomly bought at a street stall after his depression and slump, before deciding to rise again.
But he’d worn it ever since.
This ring was a commandment he’d bought for himself.
Every time he saw it, it reminded him over and over: “Don’t be stupid again.”
In this life, he’d just bury himself in work; perfume was enough. He wouldn’t be moved by anyone or anything, wouldn’t hope for anything unrealistic again.
But, having said he didn’t expect anything.
Then why did he still drag his lame leg to climb over the wall, and the funniest part was, he was still holding that bag of meat buns, still warm.
Never had he felt so clearly that he was like a gloomy and ridiculous chipmunk.
Clutching a stolen big chestnut, nervously looking around, thinking the chestnut was so sweet, yet every second wanting to drop it and flee for his life.
He wiped his face. Suddenly half the lights went out, and the sound of talking and footsteps drew near. Then, creak, the heavy wooden door was pulled open, and the library’s last light spilled onto the floor, a glaring yellow.
“Zhenzhen?”
He wanted to hide, but it was too late.
He was nowhere near as agile as a chipmunk, able to vanish in a flash. His legs were numb from squatting; he couldn’t even stand.
So embarrassing.
He wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
However, at this moment, the one more flustered than him was definitely the bun-face who followed Han Fu out.
Yu Wenzhe: Who is this…
Wait, isn’t this Han Fu’s boyfriend? Why is he hiding at the door crying? Could it be he’s misunderstood something?
Working alone with your boyfriend late at night in the library isn’t to hook up with him, okay?!
