Bo Xiangzhou brushed off his hand and after a brief discussion about work, followed the two men out into the night. The car was parked unobtrusively in the shadows outside, blending into the poorly lit environment.

Feng Sheng, waiting in the car, had a clear view and watched anxiously. When Bo Xiangzhou returned to the vehicle, Feng Sheng spoke up with a troubled expression, “President Bo, I think I saw the Madam just now. A few minutes ago, he was carried into a car by someone, probably a beta, strong and robust. It didn’t look like Madam was willing, more like he was forced.”

“President Bo, aren’t we going to do anything?”

“Forget what you saw tonight,” Bo Xiangzhou ordered, “And remember to check something for me tomorrow at work.”

“Just check?”

Feng Sheng was deeply shocked, admiring his boss’s composed demeanor even in what seemed like a betrayal.

He had thought it odd his boss would swing by a bar for no reason, and now it clicked—it was a sting operation.

“Alright, I’ll try to trace Madam’s activities over the past week within a day,” Feng Sheng, overwhelmed by the strength of the information, said.

“What I want you to check are the reasons he resigned from his previous job, his behavior before our marriage, and how people around him perceive him—the more details from colleagues and classmates, the better.”

Feng Sheng, feeling the weight of the task, exhaled deeply, “Okay.”

Bo Xiangzhou arrived back at the estate around ten o’clock, entering quietly to avoid disturbing anyone. The bedroom was a mess: duvets tangled, a pile of chargers, earphones, tissues next to the pillow, and clothes hurriedly left out. The disorder mirrored the chaos An Xun had brought into his life tonight.

After a long effort straightening up, including rearranging a snack shelf by color and size, he felt mentally and physically drained, yet restless. He opened the balcony door and lit a long-unsmoked cigarette, letting the cool breeze and the smoke swirl around him.

Eventually, An Xun sent him a voice message.

“Honey, when are you coming back? I miss you so much~”

The voice was sticky sweet, as if spoken in a half-asleep daze. Had Bo not witnessed tonight’s events, he might have thought An Xun was startled from a nightmare.

Despite everything, Bo couldn’t deny his feelings for An Xun; he was trying to love him and had seen a real change in his own heart. He had accepted and even appreciated An Xun’s timidity and quirky ways, trying to understand him. But tonight, An Xun had surprised him profoundly, leaving a mix of bitter emotions and a sense of betrayal in his heart.

·

A heavy rain fell over Jiang City, the city lights blurring into the misty downpour that drummed against the windows, waking An Xun, who usually slept deeply.

He checked his phone immediately upon waking and saw Bo Xiangzhou’s reply right on the lock screen.

Five in the morning—Bo Xiangzhou had told him he was back.

He’s back!!

An Xun yelped like a groundhog, his shouts echoing in the bedroom as he accidentally stepped on Tao Nian’s foot.

Tao Nian, pained and groggy, checked his own phone. “It’s only seven. What are you howling for? Can’t you sleep properly? I looked after you all night and still have work today. Don’t you feel sorry for me? I do.”

“Stop sleeping, my husband is back!” An Xun got out of bed to find his clothes. Last night, drunk beyond reason, he had remembered to send Bo Xiangzhou a goodnight message during a brief moment of clarity, but everything afterward was a blur.

He was still wearing the only pajamas Tao Nian owned, leaving Tao Nian without clothes all night. Hearing An Xun, Tao Nian sat up, shocked and confused, “Where is your husband?”

“He’s obviously at his own home.” An Xun headed to the bathroom. “Don’t look so scared, nothing happened between us, and it couldn’t have.”

Freshened up, An Xun faced a dilemma; his coat was still at the bar, and he couldn’t just wear a V-neck shirt back home.

Tao Nian casually threw him a black T-shirt, “What’s the big deal? Just wear my clothes.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not? Does Bo Xiangzhou only let you wear clothes he buys?” Tao Nian challenged, “That’s too controlling.”

An Xun couldn’t bear to clarify, “You’re overthinking it. This black… it’s not lively, lacks youthful energy, he won’t like it. Do you have anything in pink?”

Tao Nian was flabbergasted, “Pink is lively and energetic?”

An Xun shut him down, “He likes it.”

“Fine, fine, he likes it.” Tao Nian grudgingly searched his wardrobe for something suitable, his tone sarcastic. “Madam, how about this blue one?”

“Too dark, makes me look old.”

“Madam, this white one doesn’t make you look old.”

An Xun frowned, “The design isn’t nice, it has a tiger head on it, looks like something a gangster would wear.”

Tao Nian: “…”

Tao Nian: “No one’s more of a gangster than your husband, everyone’s scared of him.”

“Nonsense!” An Xun instinctively defended Bo Xiangzhou, “My husband is a respectable man, not just anyone gets to meet him.”

Tao Nian felt insulted.

He wasn’t fussy about clothes, his wardrobe scant and simple, dominated by black, white, and gray, with the occasional yellow or green. Nothing more.

Digging through a corner, he found a white T-shirt a size too small and showed it to An Xun, front and back. “Madam, how about this? No gangster design, just English text.”

An Xun nitpicked, “Why does the text say ‘No Bullshit’?”

“Who cares about the English on a shirt?”

An Xun raised his hand, “Bo Xiangzhou.”

Tao Nian felt unprecedented despair, almost driven mad, “Then go back naked. My dear Madam, please stop torturing this poor corporate slave.”

“Alright then.”

An Xun changed into the clothes, belting his trousers as he checked his reflection. The sleepless night and drinking had taken their toll, his skin looked worse for wear.

“Nian Nian, do you have any makeup?”

Tao Nian examined his face, “No, aren’t you looking good? He’ll mind that too?”

“No, it’s just that I’m too lazy to get out of bed at home.” An Xun explained, “He’ll know I stayed up all night just by looking at me, I need makeup to cover it up.”

After a moment of thought, Tao Nian suggested, “You might as well just admit your fault, I really don’t have any makeup.”

“That won’t do, he’ll dock my snacks.”

“That’ll happen eventually anyway.”

An Xun: “?”

Tao Nian pointed to the phone’s clock, “Buddy, it’s eight o’clock. You’ve been fussing for an hour.”

An Xun couldn’t delay any longer; he quickly ordered a rideshare, grabbed Tao Nian’s umbrella, and dashed into the rain, paying extra for the driver to hurry to the estate.

Uncle Liu was surprised to see him, “Madam, when did you go out?”

An Xun dodged the question with a smile, “Did President Bo go to work yet?”

Uncle Liu: “No, he came back late from a trip and is resting today.”

His last hope shattered.

An Xun attempted damage control, handing over the umbrella and spying the coffee machine at work, “Don’t make him coffee, I’ll tell him later.”

“Okay.”

An Xun climbed the stairs, inexplicably nervous with each step as if his heart was pounding a drumbeat.

He pushed open the bedroom door. The room was spotless, a stark contrast to its state when he had left, adding another fault to his imaginary list for not cleaning his ‘den.’

An Xun turned towards the study, where knocking was mandatory regardless of who wanted to enter.

“Come in.”

With permission granted, An Xun entered with a smile.

Bo Xiangzhou glanced at him, nodded a greeting, then returned to his work as if An Xun’s presence wasn’t particularly welcome.

A week apart, and this slightly alien behavior puzzled An Xun, “Honey…”

Facing Bo Xiangzhou’s indifferent attitude, An Xun felt a pang of sadness, unsure if it was his imagination, but it felt like there was a new barrier between them that hadn’t been there at their first meeting.

An Xun stepped back, clinging to the door, “Honey, don’t you recognize me anymore?”

With a throat blocked by myriad unasked questions, Bo Xiangzhou had imagined countless scenarios for their reunion—some calm, others confrontational.

Meeting An Xun’s pitiful gaze, Bo Xiangzhou felt choked up.

Bo Xiangzhou touched his forehead, avoiding looking at him, “No, where did you get that idea?”

“From what I saw with my own two eyes.”

Bo Xiangzhou couldn’t help but laugh, though wryly.

The atmosphere lightened briefly before An Xun shut the door, pulled up a chair next to him, and tried to explain, “Honey, I didn’t mean to stay out all night. Nian Nian and I were out late, and I just didn’t have the energy to come back. I stayed at his place, and it was just him there, no other alphas.”

An Xun’s eyes were sparkling, a look that would have convinced Bo in the past.

The rising bitterness overwhelmed Bo Xiangzhou, who merely responded, “Hmm.”

He had wanted to ask “Where did you go?” but then thought better of it since An Xun wouldn’t tell the truth. Why bother listening to lies that would only hurt more?

From the moment An Xun struggled to speak, Bo had chosen the first scenario, to live as if veiled from the truth. It seemed a better life, not fretting over whether he liked it or gave An Xun the life he wanted.

The warmth in the air vanished within a minute, and An Xun rubbed his goosebumped arms. The air conditioner wasn’t on; the chill came solely from Bo Xiangzhou.

What had changed? They hadn’t been like this just a week ago.

An Xun made small talk, “Honey, was your business trip successful?”

“Hmm.”

A single word blocked any further conversation.

Was that a successful trip or not? Was his unhappiness due to something at work or something An Xun had done?

An Xun, not wanting to give up, continued, “Honey, I’ve been going to bed on time every day.”

“Hmm.”

“…I haven’t caught a cold from the air conditioning at night.”

“Hmm.”

“I… Honey, I’ve missed you every day. Nights without you are so lonely and empty; I toss and turn, unable to sleep, wanting to call you but afraid to disturb your rest. You work so hard; I’d feel terrible if you didn’t rest well.”

Bo Xiangzhou was silent for a long time, and An Xun waited with bated breath, only to get another cold “Hmm.”

Repeated distant responses shook An Xun’s confidence, weakening his voice, “Honey, you only came back at five in the morning, won’t you rest a bit? Don’t drink coffee, too much caffeine is bad for your health.”

“Hmm.”

His lips moved but no words came out.

The stifling air grew denser, nearly drowning An Xun in prolonged silence.

After a moment, with a bitter taste in his mouth, An Xun licked his dry lips. His previously hopeful heart was now shrouded in anxiety and pressure, as if an invisible hand was squeezing his heart so tightly he could barely breathe.

Experiencing and then losing something was profoundly painful. He didn’t know what he had done wrong to end up in this situation.

Usually eloquent, An Xun hesitated, carefully considering each word before speaking, “Honey, I… I’m sorry, are you angry with me? I won’t stay out so late next time.”

Uncle Liu hadn’t brought the coffee, and An Xun knew without asking who had instructed him. He didn’t dislike An Xun making decisions; that was a right he had given him. They were equals. No matter how excessive An Xun’s actions, they wouldn’t provoke his anger, even if it meant being deceived.

He was only tormenting himself.

“No, how could I be angry with you?”

Bo Xiangzhou’s tone was gentle, unchanged except for its warmth.

Every word he uttered tugged at An Xun’s heart, squeezed until it bled.

An inner voice told An Xun this wasn’t right.

Finally, Bo Xiangzhou looked directly at him, trying to find answers in his eyes, but the alpha’s pupils were as black as ink, obscured by blue light-blocking glasses that reflected the laptop’s light, making it even harder to read his emotions.

To be precise, there might not have been any emotions to read.

“Did you run back in the rain? If you’re tired, go back to sleep,” Bo Xiangzhou said, looking into those tearful eyes with genuine concern yet unable to discern if the tears were real or feigned.

He couldn’t stand seeing a younger omega cry in front of him, his tone softening, “It’s not because of you, don’t overthink it. Did you have breakfast?”

Asking now…

His heart ached, not cheered by Bo Xiangzhou’s slight softening, “I ate, I’ll go back now.”

An Xun left, visibly downcast, not even calling him ‘honey’ as he dragged his feet away, soul reluctantly trailing behind.