The desire to share was the highest form of intimacy.
After Qi Jing hugged his coconut and climbed into the car, he realized Bo Chengyan wasn’t there. He had just buckled his seatbelt when the driver explained, “President Bo said to send you home first. He has some business and can’t make it back right away.”
Qi Jing said, “Okay.”
Then he lowered his head to sip from the coconut. He’d just buy another one next time.
After all, holding two of them made his arms ache.
But after sitting in the car for a little while, the young man remembered something. He set the coconut aside and pulled out his phone to make a call.
Bo Chengyan picked up right away. “Mm? What’s wrong?”
“Have you gotten in the car?”
His tone was patient.
The man on the other end of the line subtly stirred the spoon in his coffee.
He couldn’t help thinking the kid had some real good luck.
Qi Jing wasn’t sure when he’d developed this intuition, but his voice came out soft yet piercing. “Where are you? You didn’t go looking for Ruan Heng, did you?”
Bo Chengyan was usually a decisive sort. When a problem arose, he solved it on the spot—he never let things drag on for a week.
Child-rearing was the same. Mistakes were mistakes, but scolding served no purpose. Uncovering the root cause was what mattered.
Qi Jing had screwed up before. The incident in the karst cave had been understandable enough, and he’d gotten his palms smacked for it.
But this time, someone had led him there.
Bo Chengyan had no reason to let it slide.
He just hadn’t expected the boy to call him. Truth be told, it felt a little odd.
Qi Jing hadn’t spent much time around this man.
They weren’t friends by any stretch.
“Put it on speaker.”
Qi Jing’s breathing seemed to whisper through the receiver, sending a faint itch across the listener’s palm.
“Uncle Driver, I’ve got it on speaker now.”
Bo Chengyan’s expression remained impassive. “Bring him to Nanhua Road.”
No beating around the bush. He wouldn’t allow even the slightest seed of a “trust crisis” to take root between them.
The call ended.
Ruan Heng showed no fear, perfectly calm.
He simply didn’t see the point in talking.
He’d only bought the kid a drink. The security footage made it crystal clear—the boy had accepted it willingly.
What, were they going to call the cops over that?
“I don’t see why this is worth making a big deal out of,” he said. “He likes you. He’s obedient and listens well. Yeah, I took him to a bar, but I had someone keeping an eye on him.”
“And afterward, President Bo, didn’t you show up?”
Ruan Heng’s eyes were cool and steady as he spoke quietly. “Didn’t that bring your relationship a step closer?”
The unspoken question hung in the air: You’re not grateful? Come to punish me instead?
Bo Chengyan ignored the words entirely. He simply glanced toward the waiter standing a short distance away. Perhaps it was his overwhelming presence—even without a word, someone hurried over to attend him.
“Um… one dessert. Nothing too sweet.”
“No coffee, thanks. Do you have juice?”
Ruan Heng: “…”
He felt thoroughly ignored.
“Sorry,” Bo Chengyan said.
Ruan Heng blinked in surprise, but Bo Chengyan continued matter-of-factly, “He’ll be here any minute. I need to order first.”
The young man shifted uncomfortably, his fingers curling slightly in his palms.
“The trouble at Florence Restaurant involved you. My assistant went to the manager afterward and paid some compensation. I assumed you’d gotten it by now.”
“Apparently not?”
Ruan Heng had no idea about any of this. He was at a loss for words.
“Here’s the deal,” Bo Chengyan said calmly. “I heard you’re part of that school-business collaboration project. I’ll have the company wire some money to your student card. Would that work?”
He went on, his voice even. “I have no interest in bullying an ordinary student. From what I’ve been told, my assistant already apologized to you. He bought a nicer shirt with his own pocket money and even had your old one dry-cleaned.”
“I’d call that pretty respectful.”
The waiter arrived with the cake. The plate made a soft clink as it touched the table.
One by one, the segments of Ruan Heng’s proud spine cracked—not from any external blow, but from within.
“Why give him alcohol?” Bo Chengyan asked indifferently, his words casual. “Taking your grudge out on him? Save the talk about ‘advancing your relationship.’ I checked the footage. I know exactly what you said.”
“Qi Jing stays by my side. He’s named in my will. We don’t need anyone else nudging things along.”
Ruan Heng kept his gaze lowered, a vague sense of foolishness creeping in. He’d jumped to conclusions, assuming the boy was nothing more than a sugar baby.
No…
Dark jealousy began to stir, only to evaporate when he recalled the kid trailing after him in that simple white T-shirt, all innocence.
Gone, just like that.
His mind emptied.
Ruan Heng lifted his chin slightly, his posture neither servile nor defiant. “What do you want from me?”
Bo Chengyan had any number of ways to derail the young man’s graduation, wipe away his job prospects, and send him slinking back to his hometown.
But those tactics were hardly honorable.
Besides, Qi Jing seemed to care about this guy.
He needed to keep up appearances.
“Apologize to him.”
Outside, the clouds parted for sunshine. Inside, the green youth let out a quiet breath of relief, his defenses crumbling away.
What he didn’t realize was that letting it go hadn’t been Plan A.
It was all because of that phone call.
Qi Jing pushed open the café door one-handed, hat in his grip. He scanned the room until his eyes met Bo Chengyan’s.
The gaze that met his was gentle.
The boy broke into a jog, a childish mosquito repellent bracelet dangling from his wrist—the one Auntie had fastened on him that morning.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Qi Jing’s eyes strayed toward the other side of the table, but Bo Chengyan tugged him discreetly. His body tilted, gaze snapping back.
“Your friend?”
He asked again.
Qi Jing stammered, “Y-yeah… he is.”
He didn’t sound convinced.
Bo Chengyan didn’t press. He rose smoothly to his feet, his tone mild. “I’ve said my piece. Why don’t you two talk?”
It was indulgence and respect in full measure.
Qi Jing nodded, then spotted the juice on the table. He looked up. “For me?”
“Who else?”
“But don’t drink too much. Dinner’s waiting at home.”
In less than ninety seconds, Bo Chengyan had retreated to the car, leaving them a private bubble.
“Sorry, sorry. I had no idea he’d come find you.”
Qi Jing launched straight into apologies. Ruan Heng studied him for a long moment before cracking a smile.
“You… mad?”
Ruan Heng reflected that fate could be cruel. His background just wasn’t enough to offer someone else this kind of safe haven.
So obedient…
The young man lowered his gaze a fraction. Who wouldn’t want to keep a treasure like that?
“Nah.”
Qi Jing fumbled for words but managed, “He didn’t give you a hard time, did he? I told him you’re my friend. We just had some drinks, that’s all.”
Ruan Heng thought to himself: Kid, you are the world’s worst liar. Your man saw right through it with one look—we’re not close at all.
“Actually… it’s because I had this dream…”
Ruan Heng’s shoulders had relaxed fully by now. He tilted his head, puzzled.
Dreams? In broad daylight?
Qi Jing stumbled through the “plot” as he knew it. He didn’t want to steal someone’s life for no reason, but he refused to live in needless fear either.
Everyone deserved equality.
The right to chase love.
Even Ruan Heng could compete with him for it.
Qi Jing pressed his lips together, nerves jangling. Maybe it was best to lay it all out—let the man decide what to do.
He’d be ready to defend his ground.
“…”
“You telling me this to gross me out on purpose?”
The young man across from him furrowed his brow, looking distinctly queasy. He took a sip of coffee, growing more unsettled by the second.
“You read too many novels back in high school or what?”
Qi Jing sat ramrod straight, his face flushing crimson. He shook his head vigorously. “N-no, I didn’t…”
Ruan Heng stared, utterly baffled. “I don’t like guys!”
The words landed like a thunderclap.
Qi Jing blinked in confusion. “But then… didn’t you…”
He trailed off.
“That doesn’t mean anything. I don’t chase women to avoid getting busted in a raid.”
“Sex and love? Totally separate.”
Ruan Heng spoke with cool detachment, but when he glanced up and saw Qi Jing’s bewildered expression, something twisted inside him. How had anyone raised him this pure?
Protected him this thoroughly.
Kids from wealthy families—they rarely brushed up against real malice.
They had no clue how the seedy underbelly operated.
“You two done it yet?”
The question slipped out before Ruan Heng could stop it. He knew it was invasive, knew there were eyes on them from outside, but he couldn’t hold back.
Qi Jing’s flustered reaction was… entertaining.
“No…” And yeah, the young man could tell he’d guessed right.
Ruan Heng pondered for a beat, a itch stirring in his chest. “Don’t do it with him. It’ll hurt like hell, leave you uncomfortable—psychological scars and all.”
Qi Jing stared at him, stunned.
Ruan Heng’s throat worked as he swallowed. That look pleased him.
He shifted to block the view from the window and murmured, “He’s all about abstinence, right?”
“The stricter they are, the wilder they get in bed. Watch yourself, okay?”
Qi Jing nodded on reflex before catching himself. He asked, dazed, “You don’t like him?”
.
Next topic, baby.
“Nope.”
“Who’d fall for a control freak?”
Ruan Heng’s budding interest fizzled out completely. He couldn’t stand it anymore and rose to leave.
Qi Jing looked up at him.
“Sorry.”
The young man had a faint curve at the corner of his lips. His tone was calm and straightforward as he explained, “I didn’t expect you to come apologize to me back then.”
Qi Jing was still a bit confused about what was happening when Ruan Heng continued, “That incident at the hotel really pissed me off. Anyone would be angry at being drugged out of nowhere like that—you can understand, right?”
The boy blinked, nodding awkwardly once more.
Ruan Heng smiled.
“I’m a petty person. I couldn’t get back at the big shot, so when you walked right into my trap, I darkly thought I’d let you experience what it felt like to get dragged into something like that…”
“Sorry.”
Ruan Heng stood in the shadows while sunlight spilled across the table outside. Qi Jing’s cheeks glowed in the light, and even the fine hairs on his neck were clearly visible.
“No reaction at all?”
His tone turned teasing.
Qi Jing was still dazed, not understanding why apologies were suddenly coming out of nowhere. He had known from the start that the other man had deliberately taken him out drinking.
He’d known right from the beginning.
“It’s fine.”
Ruan Heng slipped one hand into his pocket and stared at him for a long moment. He seemed to let out a soft sigh before saying with utmost sincerity, “Sorry.”
Each apology landed heavier than the last.
The young man even bowed to him.
Qi Jing shot to his feet, flustered and unsure what to do, until the other man mouthed something at him.
—Good kid.
Strange words.
“Probably won’t see much of each other from now on.”
“Wish you happiness.”
With that, the other man left.
~~~
Qi Jing sat there in a daze, cradling his juice in both hands. What did that mean?
He doesn’t like Bo Chengyan?
Never see each other again?
The boy had a vague sense that he had somehow lucked into something good, but it still felt off because of one particular thing Ruan Heng had said.
—Who would like a control freak?
Was he… talking about Bo Chengyan?
Qi Jing’s smart wristband looked utterly unremarkable, but every word of their conversation was transmitted word for word to the phone in the car. A faint red dot blinked once.
