In a week, it will be the Lunar New Year. When people heard that Chu Lai was quitting his job, a colleague who had joined the company around the same time had a chat with him. Although they weren’t alumni, they had worked well together over the past few years.

“Have you really made up your mind? You’re not going to wait until you get the year-end bonus before leaving?”

Many colleagues who had joined with them had already quit. The company had high turnover, and for most who stuck around, it was simply to make a living. If you could do it for life, it wasn’t too bad, but the risk of being cut was always there, like a sword hanging over your head—fearful of layoffs, yet also afraid of unexpected incidents.

Chu Lai replied, “The year-end bonus is given out mid-year, so that would mean waiting another six months.”

After so many years, he understood how the company worked. Shaking his head, he said, “Forget it.”

The colleague sitting across from him, though they had joined the company together, looked much more mature. At first, neither of them knew each other’s sexual orientation and assumed the other was straight.

Chu Lai wasn’t fond of talking about such matters, but over time, some things naturally came out.

His colleague nodded, sighing. “Are you quitting because of the stuff online, or was this always your plan?”

“A bit of both,” Chu Lai said. “I’ve been doing this for a while now, and it’s getting boring.”

“Well, what doesn’t get boring if you do it long enough?” his colleague said. “But if you have a hobby and can make a living from it, that’s not too bad either.”

He wasn’t convinced that turning a hobby into work would lead to misery, even giving Chu Lai a few examples.

“But I do know you hate gossip. This week, I’ve felt how tough it is. So many people have been asking me about it.”

The man sighed, “Is there any way to find the person who posted those rumors and sue them?”

Even while they were talking in the break room, people passing by would glance at Chu Lai.

Those were the more restrained ones. There were many group chats—takeout groups, sports groups, board game groups, pet groups—and the viral wedding video, along with the hot sales of Cen’s Lianxin Umbrellas, had also brought attention to the company Chu Lai worked for. Even though personal details were blurred out, many people had already guessed which company it was. Some even came to this floor of the office, just hoping to catch a glimpse of Chu Lai.

Chu Lai nodded, “We’re looking into it.”

Cen Wei had already mentioned this to him. Although they suspected Shen Quanzhang was behind it, they were still gathering evidence.

“That’s good,” his colleague said. “People like that need to pay for their actions.”

“Have you discussed your resignation with your family yet?”

“I mean, now that you’re married, even though I know your husband is quite…”

Chu Lai shook his head. “I haven’t told him yet.”

The colleague didn’t say anything more, thinking Chu Lai would at least wait until after getting his bonus. But now, with everyone at the company knowing that Chu Lai had married the heir of a century-old business in S City, missing out on the bonus didn’t seem like a big deal.

Next week was the Lunar New Year, and the Cen family was busy preparing New Year’s gifts and packages for their business partners. When Cen Wei came back from a business dinner, he found that Chu Lai wasn’t home. The pinned message on his phone was from Chu Lai, saying he was home and sharing the dinner menu for the night.

After a long day, Cen Wei took off his coat and asked the butler, “Where’s Lai Lai?”

The butler pointed to the home workshop. “Over there.”

The temperature had dropped further after the snow, and even standing in the corridor, Cen Wei felt the cold. The workshop was on the other side of the garden, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he could see the well-maintained evergreens outside.

Cen Jianzun’s health hadn’t fully recovered. With the family doctor watching over him, his activities at home were limited by his condition, but Cen Wei remembered that Grandpa hadn’t been to the workshop in a long time. Why would he take Chu Lai there?

Before pushing the door open, Cen Wei could already hear Cen Jianzun’s voice. “When I was young, I followed my father into the umbrella business. I was very rebellious. I didn’t understand why, after growing up, I still had to sell umbrellas.”

“I hated it. Back then, ordinary families didn’t even think about sunshades.”

“A person selling umbrellas would hope for rain every day. I, on the other hand, hated the rain the most…”

There was no sound from Chu Lai. Instead of knocking, Cen Wei stood outside for a while, observing.

Seated in a wheelchair with his back to the window, Cen Jianzun was recounting stories about Chu Lai’s great-grandfather, stories he had often told his grandson. The workshop was lit by task lights over the workbench, and a mechanical hanging lamp swung down, casting light on Chu Lai, who sat in front of the wood planer. He was holding an unfinished wooden umbrella handle, quietly working while listening to the old man’s stories.

The wind howled outside. Occasionally, Chu Lai responded with a word or two, but when he glanced up and saw someone at the window, he jumped in surprise. When he realized it was just Cen Wei, he let out a sigh of relief.

The man outside even fogged up the window with his breath. Although the door wasn’t locked, Cen Wei continued to stand outside, and Chu Lai thought, What is his deal, peeking in like this?

In the fogged-up window, Cen Wei drew a heart, and Chu Lai couldn’t bear to watch anymore—so childish.

“Your dad didn’t like doing this either,” Grandpa continued, unaware of the situation, “His dream was to get into real estate, and he did well when the time was right, but…”

When he spoke of his deceased son, a shadow of sorrow crossed Grandpa’s face. He noticed that Chu Lai was staring out the window, so he turned to look as well.

The heart drawn on the window had long disappeared, leaving only the green plants lit by the garden lights outside.

Just as Grandpa was about to ask what Chu Lai was looking at, the door opened, and a tall figure brought in a rush of cold air.

The workshop was heated, with dustproof and moisture-control systems in place to protect the wood.

Even though the Cen family business had been making modern folding and long-handle umbrellas for years, they still maintained the tradition of handmade umbrellas.

Each year, a new umbrella was made by hand, and the walls were lined with umbrella cabinets showcasing designs ranging from paper umbrellas to modern styles, marking the timeline of Cen Jianzun’s life. On the opposite side were umbrellas made by Cen Wei.

Among Grandpa’s umbrella collection were traces of Grandma Hong. Growing up surrounded by this craftsmanship, the future for Cen Wei would have been one tied to family tradition, if not for the incident that changed everything.

Each umbrella carried the emotional weight of the past, a symbol of growing old together with a loved one.

However, the line had been broken when it came to Cen Wei’s father. His umbrella cabinet had been removed, though the marks of where it once stood were still there. Chu Lai had spent a long time looking at it the first time he came here.

Today, Grandpa had brought Chu Lai along, reminiscing about the past. He even brought some of the wooden carvings Chu Lai had made as a child, as if Chu Lai had already fully integrated into the Cen family.

“You brat, bringing in the cold air—trying to freeze your grandpa?” Grandpa scolded.

The room was warm, with a small stove burning nearby. Several sweet potatoes were roasting on it, almost bursting.

Without minding Grandpa’s grumbling, Cen Wei naturally sat beside Chu Lai, ignoring the old man’s glare. “Grandpa, telling stories again?”

He picked up the wood Chu Lai had been working on, running his fingers over the uneven surface. “I’ll teach you. Grandpa’s not in the best shape and can’t demonstrate anymore.”

Grandpa wasn’t happy about that, protesting, “Who says I’m not in shape? I’m perfectly fine. I’m going to live for many more years, you little rascal. Don’t think you can wait me out.”

Smiling, Cen Wei tucked a blanket around Grandpa and called for the butler to take him for dinner. “Yes, yes, you’re getting a new treatment after the New Year. You’ll be going abroad for it.”

“I’m counting on you living to be over a hundred and still keeping an eye on the company,” he added.

“You want me to still be running the company at my age? You’re too cruel to this old man,” Grandpa grumbled.

Chu Lai noticed how easily Cen Wei could carry a conversation. The man’s previous silence seemed like a veil, now lifted in the warmth of family, making him appear more lively.

“How is that cruel to the elderly? Aren’t you letting your grandson take a break so he can travel with his boyfriend?” teased Cen Wei.

Grandpa let out an “oh” of realization. “A honeymoon, I see. I get it.”

Sitting beside them, Chu Lai was a bit taken aback. But Cen Wei avoided his gaze, watching as the butler escorted Grandpa out for dinner.

Once the door closed, the wind outside seemed to die down, leaving only the crackling sound of the sweet potatoes roasting on the stove.

“How heartless, leaving Grandpa’s story unfinished,” Chu Lai said.

“There will be plenty of chances to hear it again. Let’s leave him something to look forward to,” replied Cen Wei, sitting next to him.

“Is Grandpa really going abroad for treatment?” Chu Lai asked. Though Grandpa always seemed full of energy, he still required constant care and medication.

Old people often feared the loss of dignity in their later years, not wanting to go through endless treatments. At first, the rush to get married was to fulfill Grandpa’s wish. But after spending more time together, his attitude toward treatment became more positive.

“You know how it is with these things. It’s hard to predict,” said Cen Wei seriously.

Chu Lai nodded and then asked, “If I hadn’t been with you and we had just stuck to our agreement, and then Grandpa suddenly decided to go for treatment, would we have gotten divorced?”

Instead of answering, Cen Wei just looked at him, sitting backwards on the stool with his jacket off, still in his formal vest. His slicked-back hair was slightly loosened, but he looked as composed as ever.

“Isn’t that the case?” Chu Lai put down the wood he was holding, mimicking the way Cen Wei was sitting. The younger man’s chin rested on the back of the chair, and their eyes met calmly.

Suddenly, it dawned on Cen Wei why Shen Quanzhang was filled with so much regret. Chu Lai was like a dish that seemed bland at first but hit with a strong aftertaste, leaving you reeling once you had a taste.

With his long legs, Cen Wei leaned forward slightly on the stool, using the opportunity to steal a kiss from Chu Lai.

Stunned, Chu Lai blinked, but before he could react, Cen Wei had pulled back to his original position, acting as if nothing had happened. “Not necessarily. I’d still fall for you and pursue you.”

“Is that so?” Chu Lai asked.

All week, he had a lot on his mind. As he stared ahead, his gaze unintentionally landed on Cen Wei’s wedding ring.

Falling in love with Cen Wei had been an unexpected turn of events, and sometimes, seeing his own ring still felt strange.

“Of course,” Cen Wei affirmed.

The stool scooted closer, and he planted another quick kiss on the corner of Chu Lai’s lips. “Have you noticed? You don’t insist on hugging me anymore.”

Chu Lai thought for a moment and then replied, “Does that mean I’ve grown tired of you?”

When he was being mischievous, his tone was even more monotonous than usual, almost AI-like. Unfazed, Cen Wei leaned in until their foreheads touched. “That’s too harsh. How could you get tired of me so soon?”

“Didn’t you say that trying a new position was too stimulating for you?”

It was as if he knew exactly which sore spots to poke. This week had been hectic for both of them, and on a few nights, Cen Wei had slept in the guest room. But Chu Lai knew that each time, before going to bed, Cen Wei would sit by his side for a while or give him a gentle hug. He had thought it was a dream until Xuan Rongqing confirmed it—his mother had seen her son sneaking around late at night but hadn’t called him out on it.

“So who was sneaking kisses from me?” Chu Lai asked.

The man before him, however, didn’t hesitate. He pried Chu Lai’s lips apart, showing with actions that it hadn’t been sneaking at all.

By the time they broke apart, Chu Lai’s lips were red, but Cen Wei kept looking at him, waiting for a reaction.

Chu Lai stated solemnly, “I’m not tired of you.”

Cen Wei chuckled, “Then maybe tonight we can try something new?”

Chu Lai thought to himself, Why is it that once a guy loses his virginity, he becomes such a nuisance?

However, Cen Wei seemed to read every expression on his face like a book, leaning closer to whisper, “Are you cursing me in your head?”

Chu Lai shook his head. “No.”

“Well, if you like experience, I’ll work on that,” said Cen Wei with a grin.

Chu Lai felt like he didn’t need to work on anything. Every time things got out of hand, he had to deal with Cen Wei apologizing afterward, kissing him and saying it wasn’t intentional.

He knew it was hard to control, but every kiss from Cen Wei stirred a longing in Chu Lai that he had never realized before.

What he thought was just a typical experience had turned into something deeper—an urge to surrender, cooperate, and savor.

Now, as their gazes met, Chu Lai gave in, turning his face away as he mumbled, “I never said I liked experience.”

Even with the chairs between them, the warmth between them was palpable, making the already warm room feel even cozier.

The exhaustion from work-related interactions melted away, and they couldn’t help but kiss and touch, eventually ending up in each other’s arms.

Breathless, Chu Lai clung to Cen Wei’s neck as the man asked, “So, what do you like?”

The frustrating, teasing sensations had Chu Lai feeling on edge. He couldn’t help but think that even the attractive guys Grandma Hong shared in her videos didn’t match Cen Wei’s skill. Maybe he had secretly practiced after all.

He could only give in, pressing kisses to the man’s neck and jaw, whispering into his ear—

“I like you.”