Yun Pei spent the entire afternoon in Qin Mingyuan’s office. While Qin Mingyuan was busy with work, Yun Pei, feeling a bit bored, took some paper and a pen to sketch by the floor-to-ceiling window.

Usually, Yun Pei’s drawings were either personal creations or natural landscapes. This was his first time sketching a cityscape with towering buildings, and he found it refreshing.

During his busy work, Qin Mingyuan would occasionally steal a glance at him.

The young man sitting by the window was bathed in the softening sunlight. A small tuft of hair at the back of his head was sticking up from sleep, which Qin Mingyuan, with a mischievous intent, had decided not to fix. It gave Yun Pei a slightly playful look.

Qin Mingyuan’s lips curled up as his usually cold, stone-like face softened. Even amidst the busy work, his mood became lighter.

Every time Zhou Yang entered to deliver documents or report on work, he noticed that his boss’s usual icy aura seemed to have warmed up. It wasn’t as cold and intimidating as usual, leaving Zhou Yang trembling less than usual.

Unable to resist, Zhou Yang’s gaze drifted toward the window, and he instantly understood: this change was most likely because of the person sitting there.

Secretly, Zhou Yang prayed that Young Master Yun Pei would visit the office more often. Maybe that would make their boss a permanent “spring breeze” instead of the usual winter chill.

“Looks good, doesn’t it?”

The question snapped Zhou Yang out of his thoughts, and without thinking, he blurted out, “It’s like an angel bathed in holy light.”

As soon as he spoke, his rational mind kicked back in. Turning his head, he met his boss’s cold stare, which made his heart skip a beat. He quickly looked down, scrambling to recover, “He’s a perfect match for President Qin!”

Oh no! Can I even say such things?

Yun Pei, who had been quietly sketching and not disturbing Qin Mingyuan’s work, paused mid-stroke. His lips tightened, and his ears quietly reddened. How did Zhou Yang notice that?

Qin Mingyuan glanced at him, not missing the blush coloring Yun Pei’s earlobes. His mood lifted further, and even Zhou Yang, who usually seemed clueless, suddenly appeared much more agreeable.

As the piercing gaze lifted from his body, Zhou Yang breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he hadn’t said anything too far out of line. So, is this it? Does this mean it’s official between the boss and Young Master Yun Pei? Do we have a boss’s spouse now?

Qin Mingyuan handed over the signed documents to Zhou Yang, who had been standing there blankly. A light knock on the desk brought him back to attention.

Realizing his distraction, Zhou Yang quickly took the documents with both hands. Glancing at his boss, who still seemed to be in a good mood, he gathered his courage and said, “Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness together!”

Without waiting for a response, Zhou Yang scurried out of the office with the documents.

Considering that Zhou Yang’s words were pleasing, Qin Mingyuan decided to ignore how forcefully the door had been closed.

He got up and walked to the window. Bending down, he placed his hands on the back of Yun Pei’s wheelchair, leaning in as if enveloping him in his arms. He leaned closer and kissed Yun Pei’s reddened ear, teasing, “Feeling shy?”

Yun Pei, uncomfortable, pulled his neck back and tightened his grip on the pen in his hand. He was clearly embarrassed but still tried to stay tough. 

“I’m not!”

Qin Mingyuan chuckled softly, rubbing his face gently against Yun Pei’s cheek. Then he lowered his gaze to look at the drawing in Yun Pei’s hand—simple black lines sketching the scene outside the window. 

“When you’re done, color this, and I’ll hang it in my office.”

Yun Pei frowned slightly, “This was just for fun. I didn’t plan the composition carefully, and it’s not even drawn on proper art paper. If you want one, I’ll draw a proper one for you later.”

“I think this one is just fine,” Qin Mingyuan replied, pausing before leaning closer to whisper into his ear, lips brushing against the edge, “Every time I see this drawing, I’ll remember today.”

The warm breath near his ear made Yun Pei feel a bit ticklish. He turned his face slightly to the side, trying to maintain a composed and indifferent expression, “Fine, do whatever you want.”

His calm demeanor only stirred up Qin Mingyuan’s playful side. He reached out, gently pinching Yun Pei’s chin, turning his face toward him before pressing his lips against his.

Caught off guard, Yun Pei’s eyes widened slightly, his lashes fluttering before slowly lowering as he melted into the kiss. Qin Mingyuan, holding him firmly from behind, deepened the kiss, breaking through his defenses.

After thoroughly kissing him, Qin Mingyuan pulled back, pressing a light kiss on Yun Pei’s lips once more. His fingers brushed away the tears that had gathered at the corners of Yun Pei’s eyes. 

Looking at his slightly reddened eyes, Qin Mingyuan felt a sense of satisfaction from his playful teasing. 

“Now that I’m recharged, I can get back to work.”

Once Qin Mingyuan left, Yun Pei raised a hand to touch his lips, still tingling from the kiss, and let out a quiet laugh, turning his head to face the setting sun outside the window.

If it hadn’t been for Qin Mingyuan being by his side today, perhaps he would have once again fallen into those dark emotions for a long time. But now, he could look at things more rationally.

His expression cooled, and he narrowed his eyes slightly as he gazed into the light. Huo Lijuan—if she had indeed committed unforgivable crimes back then, her good days would soon be over.

Qin Mingyuan continued working until 8 PM. Since they had eaten lunch late, neither of them was particularly hungry.

After leaving the company and getting into the car, Qin Mingyuan reached over to touch Yun Pei’s chin. 

“You stayed in my office the whole day. Were you bored?”

Yun Pei, who had just finished buckling his seatbelt, looked up at him and grabbed his hand, shaking his head. 

“No, I’m usually in my room all the time at the villa anyway.”

He had long since gotten used to finding things to do to pass the time alone. Besides, glancing over at the man working occasionally was actually quite pleasing to the eye. He didn’t feel bored at all.

Hearing this, Qin Mingyuan turned his hand over and gently squeezed Yun Pei’s fingers without saying anything further. 

“Since you kept me company at work today, I’ll take you somewhere nice to eat.”

As Qin Mingyuan started the car, Yun Pei looked at his side profile for a while before leaning back against the seat, content to let the man take him wherever he wanted.

After a half-hour drive, they arrived at a restaurant with a serene atmosphere and elegant decor, complete with small bridges and flowing water.

On the way to the restaurant, they enjoyed the scenic environment, accompanied by the soft sounds of an ancient zither. It was a peaceful and enjoyable experience.

This restaurant had been pre-booked by Zhou Yang earlier in the afternoon while Yun Pei was still asleep. Qin Mingyuan had planned to bring him here after work for dinner.

He had only been here once before, with a business partner of Qin Corporation. At that time, the partner had joked about the quiet and romantic setting being perfect for dates, even asking when Qin Corporation’s President might have a “madam.”

Thinking of this, Qin Mingyuan glanced down at the person he was pushing in the wheelchair. Well, here’s the answer, isn’t it?

The private dining room the server led them to wasn’t too big, just right for two people. When Yun Pei was wheeled inside, he noticed fresh flowers in a vase on the table, along with elegant candlesticks. It was clear the room had been specially arranged.

After the server left and closed the door, Yun Pei looked at the man who had just sat down next to him and asked, “Did you arrange all of this in advance?”

“Mhm,” Qin Mingyuan admitted openly, taking Yun Pei’s hand into his own. 

“I thought today deserved a little celebration.”

Understanding what he meant, Yun Pei’s ears reddened again. After a brief pause, he looked up seriously and said, “Qin Mingyuan, thank you for being with me today, and thank you for…”

Loving me.

Though Yun Pei couldn’t bring himself to say the last two words, he believed Qin Mingyuan would understand.

And he did. Qin Mingyuan smiled, pressing a kiss to the back of Yun Pei’s hand. 

“Those are words I should be saying.”

Growing up, Qin Mingyuan’s parents had been distant, and his grandfather had been strict, so he never really felt liked by others.

As he grew older, there were indeed men and women who claimed to like him, but those feelings were shallow, perhaps due to his appearance or the wealth of the Qin family.

None of those people truly knew him. They were merely chasing after superficial things. But when he came to this world and met Yun Pei, at first, it was just because Yun Pei’s circumstances somewhat mirrored his own that he paid attention. He found Yun Pei’s hidden personality intriguing.

Somewhere along the line, though, those feelings began to shift. Maybe it was because Yun Pei saw, understood, and interacted with him as “Qin Mingyuan,” not just the heir to Qin Corporation.

The once-dark and distant young man, who had had no light in his eyes, began to show a glimmer of hope when he looked at Qin Mingyuan. The sharp thorns he had raised to protect himself slowly started to retract.

And Qin Mingyuan wanted to hold on to that light and soften those thorns.

Before he knew it, his gaze had started drifting toward Yun Pei. He found himself caring more and more, wanting to take care of him.

Seeing Yun Pei cry today, Qin Mingyuan had felt the irresistible urge to… kiss him.

Yun Pei had no idea what was going through the man’s mind, but he felt those usually cold eyes on him now, so gentle that they made his face flush. Unable to stand it, he raised his hand to cover them.

His vision suddenly went dark, and Qin Mingyuan chuckled to himself. He didn’t pull Yun Pei’s hand away, letting him cover his eyes instead, “Why do you always cover my eyes?”

Yun Pei felt more comfortable when he didn’t have to face Qin Mingyuan’s gaze directly, “Because you keep staring at me.”

Qin Mingyuan’s lips twitched into a smile, his fingers gently playing with Yun Pei’s other hand, massaging the base of his fingers, “I look at you because I like you.”

Those words were like a shock to Yun Pei, and he quickly pulled his hand back, avoiding Qin Mingyuan’s gaze with his eyes downcast.

The mimosa blushed deeply, his face turning as red as a ripe peach. Qin Mingyuan leaned over and kissed his cheek, feeling the warmth radiating from it.

He raised an eyebrow, noticing that although Yun Pei was embarrassed, he didn’t pull away. Taking advantage of the moment, Qin Mingyuan moved closer, aiming for his lips—only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.

This time, the shy mimosa did pull away. Qin Mingyuan sighed; sometimes, the food arrived a little too quickly for his liking.

Still, as much as he might feel that way, he couldn’t let his newly official lover go hungry. He pulled back, straightened up, and allowed the staff to bring in the dishes.

Neither Yun Pei nor Qin Mingyuan drank alcohol, since Qin Mingyuan still had to drive later. So, even though they had said they were celebrating, they ended up toasting with fruit juice instead.

During the meal, they didn’t engage in any particularly intimate gestures, but the occasional exchange of glances made the atmosphere sweet.

Yun Pei had gotten used to Qin Mingyuan’s attentiveness, and occasionally, he would even pick up a piece of food and place it on Qin Mingyuan’s plate. One time, Qin Mingyuan intercepted it and fed it to him directly.

After that, whenever Yun Pei used his chopsticks to eat, his ears couldn’t help but feel hot.

They finished their pleasant dinner and headed out of the restaurant, getting back into the car to head to Qin Mingyuan’s apartment.

It wasn’t until they were seated in the car that Yun Pei belatedly began to feel nervous. Spending the night together on the first day of officially being a couple somehow felt… a bit off.

Plus, if Yun Pei remembered correctly, Qin Mingyuan’s apartment only had one bedroom, and naturally, only one bed.

“What’s wrong?” Qin Mingyuan asked as he settled the wheelchair in the back and got into the car. Seeing Yun Pei lost in thought, he leaned over to help him with his seatbelt, “Full and feeling sleepy?”

With Qin Mingyuan so close, Yun Pei instinctively tensed up, but when he realized it was just him buckling the seatbelt, he relaxed again. He nodded, following along, “A little.”

Hearing this, Qin Mingyuan ruffled his hair, “We’ll be home soon.”

Home?

Yun Pei froze for a moment. Watching as Qin Mingyuan buckled his own seatbelt, the chaotic thoughts in his mind suddenly quieted, replaced by a warm feeling that filled his heart.