Gu Xian’s expression shifted between pale and green. Refusing to admit his incompetence, he snapped, “Disgusted with me, huh? Fine, I won’t—ugh—”

Xie Yunjing moved his hand slightly, listening to the change in Gu Xian’s tone. “Didn’t you say ‘mutual help’? Naturally, that means both people have to participate.”

“Let go, I don’t need—” Gu Xian abruptly pressed his lips together, suppressing a precarious sound that almost escaped his throat.

“Gu Xian…” Xie Yunjing softly bit his ear. “Do it the way I’m doing it.”

“…”

Although still somewhat clumsy, Gu Xian finally got on the right track.

Feeling both pleased and encouraging, Xie Yunjing kissed Gu Xian, then began shifting his focus elsewhere.

Gu Xian had absolutely no experience and usually didn’t care about these kinds of things, so naturally, he had no way to defend himself and was quickly on the verge of complete collapse.

But he didn’t want to lose to Xie Yunjing just like that.

If he finished before Xie Yunjing, the latter would definitely mock him afterward.

Xie Yunjing, noticing Gu Xian’s attempts to hold back, naturally doubled down on provoking him, repeatedly calling his name in a low, husky voice: “Gu Xian, Gu Xian…”

That deep and tender tone was already intoxicating, not to mention that Gu Xian’s mind had long turned to mush by now.

Xie Yunjing kept a close eye on his state and soon waited for the perfect moment.

Xie Yunjing smirked mischievously, leaning close to Gu Xian’s ear again, and suddenly changed his tone: “Hubby.”

“…”

It took Gu Xian a good while to process what had just happened.

The moment he was about to call out Xie Yunjing’s name, Xie Yunjing showed him his hand and said, “You were holding back way too long.”

“…”

Gu Xian, enraged and humiliated, shouted, “I’m going to cripple you!”

Xie Yunjing let out a grunt of pain but made no effort to dodge. Instead, he leaned in and kissed Gu Xian, looking as if he were completely resigned to whatever Gu Xian wanted to do to him.

Gu Xian was simply inexperienced, but after Xie Yunjing’s guidance, he quickly got the hang of it.

Before long, Xie Yunjing’s expression turned languid, and he pulled Gu Xian into another lingering, passionate kiss.

Gu Xian’s eyes were filled with irritation and impatience. Xie Yunjing gently stroked the corner of his eye and suddenly said, “Next time we kiss, don’t keep your eyes open.”

“Why should I?” Gu Xian, still brooding over his earlier embarrassment, refused to show Xie Yunjing any warmth, not even after a kiss.

Xie Yunjing simply smiled. “Because I won’t be able to resist.”

*

Xie Yunjing glanced around the living room and asked Uncle Kang, “Gu Xian still hasn’t come back for dinner today?”

“That’s right,” Uncle Kang replied, looking deeply concerned. “Third Young Master, are you sure you and Young Master Gu didn’t have a fight?”

The slight irritation in Xie Yunjing’s eyes immediately turned into an almost overflowing smile. He shook his head and said, “No, we didn’t.”

Since that night of “mutual help,” Gu Xian had been coming home past midnight for three consecutive days and resolutely refused to open his eyes in the morning if Xie Yunjing hadn’t already left.

However, three days was starting to feel a bit excessive.

Xie Yunjing walked over to the cabinet where Gu Xian stored Gu Leyu’s “gifts.” When he opened the door, all the items that had once packed the cabinet to the brim were now completely gone.

“Uncle Kang, where are the things in the cabinet?”

“Young Master Gu had me send them all away the day after he brought them back,” Uncle Kang said cautiously. “Is the reason Young Master Gu isn’t coming back for dinner because of those things?”

“Yes and no,” Xie Yunjing replied, closing the cabinet and reassuring the elderly man. “Don’t worry, Uncle Kang. I’ll go pick Gu Xian up and bring him home later tonight.”

Gu Xian’s whereabouts over the past few nights were something Xie Yunjing had always been well aware of.

Sheng Yi Bar.

Li Yuqiu stirred the cocktail in his hand and asked curiously, “So, are you planning to go back after midnight again today? This is your fourth day already. What exactly did Xie Yunjing do to make you think of running away?”

“Exactly,” Sheng Yi said, slapping four cards onto the bar counter. “Quad queens! Weren’t you trending on social media with Xie Yunjing not long ago? Something about ‘a fairy-tale love story among the elite’? It was hyped so much I almost believed it. So, what now? Are the fairy couple fighting?”

Gu Xian, wearing a sour expression, slapped down four aces. “Quad aces! Stop talking nonsense!”

Han Rui waved his hand, indicating he was passing his turn. “Honestly, when that trending topic first came out, I thought it was Xie Yunjing chasing after you.”

Li Yuqiu sighed as well. “How is it that the trending topic was bought by that little brat Gu Leyu? Sure, it got you some free exposure, but you know that kid is definitely up to no good. If it were really Xie Yunjing chasing after you, that’d be amazing!”

“…” Gu Xian threw down a straight with a loud slap. “Amazing, my ass. Eat something good to boost your brainpower. Xie Yunjing chasing me? Impossible!”

Li Yuqiu argued with him, “Of course it’d be great! Think about it. If Xie Yunjing liked you, he’d have to do everything you say. Wouldn’t that be awesome?”

Gu Xian rolled his eyes. “Childish!”

Just as he was about to play his next card, his phone rang.

The caller ID displayed “Bastard.” Gu Xian stared at it for a moment before answering.

“Where are you? I’ll come pick you up and take you home later.”

Li Yuqiu craned his neck, trying to eavesdrop, but quickly withdrew under Gu Xian’s sharp glare.

Still, Gu Xian’s tone was enough for the three of them to instantly figure out who was on the other end of the call.

“I’ll go home on my own,” Gu Xian said.

Xie Yunjing chuckled softly and asked again, “Where are you?”

Gu Xian hung up the phone forcefully, glaring at Li Yuqiu and the others until they all pretended to busy themselves. Only then did he lower his head and send Xie Yunjing a location pin.

He stuffed his phone back into his pocket, looked at Sheng Yi and Han Rui, and waved the last card in his hand. “Play your cards. If you don’t, I’m winning this round.”

Sheng Yi and Han Rui exchanged a glance and, with perfect coordination, both put down their cards. “Can’t beat your straight. You win.”

“Hmph.” Gu Xian tossed out his last card, the smallest “3.”

As he gathered the cards to shuffle them, he said to Sheng Yi, “Get me a drink.”

The next round was for Li Yuqiu and Sheng Yi to play. Gu Xian leaned against the side, sipping his drink, when a voice suddenly sounded behind him:

“Hey, handsome, here alone?”

It was a beautiful woman, with red lips, a short skirt, and wavy hair—bright, bold, and undeniably alluring.

Of course, Li Yuqiu and the others looked over, with Sheng Yi even whistling mischievously, as if eager to stir up trouble. “An encounter, huh, Gu Xian!”

The woman cheerfully blinked her eyes. “Your name is Gu Xian, right? My name is—”

Gu Xian, completely oblivious to her flirtation, interrupted, “Do I look like I’m alone?”

The woman, bold enough to approach and strike up a conversation, was clearly no timid soul. She smiled cheekily, glancing at Li Yuqiu and the other two. “Well, they’re all busy playing cards, and here you are, left to drink alone, handsome.”

“We take turns playing. It’s my break time.”

“Isn’t it nice to chat with someone during your break?”

Gu Xian lost his patience and said bluntly, “I’m not interested in you.”

The woman wasn’t ready to give up yet. “Maybe if we talked a bit, you might—”

Her expression suddenly changed mid-sentence. She forced a strained smile and covered her lips slightly. “I’m sorry, it seems I’ve truly disturbed you!”

With that, she hurried away, leaving all four of them feeling a little baffled.

Li Yuqiu leaned closer to Gu Xian, craning his neck to look in the direction the woman had been staring.

“Holy crap!” he exclaimed, reaching out to tug down Gu Xian’s collar. Staring in shock, he asked, “Who the hell bit your neck like this?!”

Sheng Yi and Han Rui immediately turned their attention to look as well.

Han Rui’s expression lit up with sudden realization. “That bite mark has been there for several days, hasn’t it?”

Gu Xian slapped Li Yuqiu’s hand away, pulled his collar back up, and said irritably, “A dog bit me!”

Sheng Yi wore a teasing smile. “Oh, really?”

“Rubbish! Why would I lie to—” Gu Xian’s words abruptly stopped because another voice interrupted him.

“Gu Xian.”

Gu Xian, along with Li Yuqiu and Han Rui, turned their heads toward the source of the voice.

Xie Yunjing walked toward them with an air of elegance, stopping beside Gu Xian and pulling him into his arms.

“I’m here to take you home,” he said, leaning down to speak softly into Gu Xian’s ear.

Then, lifting his gaze, he directed a polite smile at Li Yuqiu and the other two.

“Woof.”

Author’s Note:

Xiao Gu, deceased.