A few days later, at the parking lot of Longxing Building, just as Qian Ying arrived at his designated parking spot, a sudden honking sound came from his left.

He turned to look in the direction of the sound and saw the window of a black Mulsanne, about ten meters away, slowly rolling down. Ruan Chengjie waved at him from inside the car, while two bodyguards quickly stepped forward in a clear protective stance.

Qian Ying casually raised a hand, and the bodyguards obediently stepped back.

He walked over at a relaxed pace, and just before he arrived, Ruan Chengjie opened the car door and motioned for him to get in.

Qian Ying raised an eyebrow, a bit confused about what Ruan Chengjie was trying to imply.

Ruan Chengjie smiled and said, “Young Master Qian, aren’t you going to come?”

“Ha.” Qian Ying seemed to have heard the greatest joke, as he casually slid into the car and slammed the door shut with a thud.

Forty minutes later, Qian Ying got out of the car, not even glancing back as he walked towards his two bodyguards. Behind him, the black Mulsanne silently drove away.

No one knew what he and Ruan Chengjie had talked about.

Lin Jiayan picked up his phone for the seventh time to check the time and, for the fifth time, declined the waiter who asked if he needed to order. His finely chiseled face seemed to be covered with a layer of cold ice. Without any hesitation, he stood up and left the restaurant.

The moment the Gothic-style stained-glass door was pushed open, he collided with a man who was about to enter.

His arm was grabbed, and in the next instant, his body was pulled into an embrace, then spun around and led back into the restaurant.

“Sorry, baby, there was traffic on the road.” Qian Ying’s voice rang in his ear, not too loud, not too soft, just the most seductive tone. Yet, it couldn’t calm the little wildcat who had been waiting for almost an hour and was now on the edge.

Lin Jiayan raised his elbow and struck back fiercely, the hard bend of his elbow slamming into Qian Ying’s chest.

“Get lost.”

The merciless elbow strike only caused Qian Ying to furrow his brow, but he didn’t release the hand he had wrapped around Lin Jiayan’s waist. Instead, with a snap of his fingers, he called over the nearest waiter. In full view of everyone, he arrogantly pressed the enraged Young Master Lin back into his seat.

Lin Jiayan tried to stand up, but Qian Ying quickly leaned in, making it look like he was about to kiss him in front of the crowd. This caused Lin Jiayan to instinctively lean back.

However, Qian Ying only placed his finger on Lin Jiayan’s lips, gently making a “shh—” sound, then smirked. “Behave. If you keep struggling, you’ll draw the attention of all the guests.”

Lin Jiayan glared at him. “I thought you died on the way here.”

“You were waiting for me. How could I just die like that?” Qian Ying’s finger brushed past his chin, smiling with obvious amusement. He then straightened up, walked to the seat opposite, pulled out a chair, and sat down. A well-trained waiter promptly handed him the menu.

At the same time, Boss Bian was also out on a date. But the person he was with wasn’t Ke Mingxuan, but rather the handsome Lu Xiao, whom he had once held close to his heart.

As soon as his elective class ended, before he even left the classroom, Lu Xiao’s phone rang.

He glanced at the caller ID, somewhat surprised, and pressed the answer button. “Qiu ge, why is it you?”

“Why does your tone sound a little disappointed?” Bian Yiqiu leaned back in his car seat, tilting his head to watch the entrance of the art academy, his gaze lazily sweeping over waves of young, handsome men.

“No, no,” Lu Xiao quickly said, placing his books into his backpack. “What’s up?”

Bian Yiqiu clicked his tongue. “Can’t I call you if there’s nothing going on? Are you out of class?”

“Just got out. You really timed that perfectly.” Lu Xiao threw his backpack over his shoulder and walked out with his classmates.

“Then hurry up and come out. I’m at your school gate.”

“Huh?” Lu Xiao was a bit stunned by the news. Just then, one of his classmates mentioned they were going to get the car, so he nodded and said, “Okay.” Bian Yiqiu assumed it was in response to him and immediately hung up.

Lu Xiao stared at his phone for a long time, still unable to figure out why Bian Yiqiu suddenly showed up at his school.

His classmate rolled up on a bicycle and asked if he wanted to go out for a late-night snack. Lu Xiao declined, saying he had a friend waiting at the gate.

The two walked out of the main entrance together, and Bian Yiqiu spotted him first, signaling Zuo Cheng to flash the double lights twice.

One of Lu Xiao’s classmates exaggeratedly nudged him with his elbow. “A Maybach? Planning to dump Mr. Chu and hook up with some rich guy?”

Lu Xiao rolled his eyes, thinking, If I wanted to hook up with him, do you think I’d still be waiting until now?

“Just get going, and be careful on the road.”

The classmate smirked and hopped onto his bike, zooming off without even hearing the last four words Lu Xiao said.

Lu Xiao, watching his classmate’s disappearing figure, shook his head helplessly before turning to walk toward Bian Yiqiu.

Once they got in the car, Zuo Cheng asked where they were heading. Bian Yiqiu turned to look at Lu Xiao. “Back to the city?”

Lu Xiao replied, “I have class early tomorrow, so I’ll stay at Lanjing Garden tonight.”

Lanjing Garden was where Chu Yi’s parents lived, just across from the Medical University and very close to the art academy.

Bian Yiqiu grinned. “So, you’re officially stepping into their house now?”

Lu Xiao shot back, “Jealous or envious?”

Bian Yiqiu thought about Ke Mingxuan’s parents, chuckled to himself, and didn’t say whether he was jealous or envious. Instead, he changed the subject. “Let’s find somewhere nearby for a late-night snack.”

“Sure. But the university district is full of student-priced hole-in-the-wall places. Are you sure, Boss Bian?”

“I’ve never eaten in such a cultured place before. Let me see if the food here really has the aroma of books.”

“Then I must take you to try the best,” Lu Xiao couldn’t help but laugh, instructing Zuo Cheng to park at the entrance of the food street outside the art academy’s west gate. Because the street was narrow and crowded with people, there was no place to park, so Lu Xiao had no choice but to pull Bian Yiqiu out of the car to walk.

The food street, originally called Yunsan Road, was located with the art academy on the left and the medical university on the right. The sharp-eyed laboring folks likely figured that students’ money was easy to earn, so one small eatery after another quickly took over the area.

Students came from all over the country, and the restaurants each had their own specialties, offering a wide range of flavors—from northeastern stews to Xinjiang big plate chicken, from Sichuan hotpot to Suzhou and Hangzhou snacks. There was nothing you couldn’t find. At first, only students from the art academy and the medical university came, but soon students from nearby universities followed suit, flocking to the area. Yunsan Road became a hotspot, earning the name “Food Street.” After class in the evenings, almost every shop was packed, and it was hard to find a seat.

Lu Xiao confidently headed straight to his favorite Yang BBQ spot, eyeing a table where the previous diners were just about to leave. As soon as they moved, he was quick to sit down, so fast that Bian Yiqiu couldn’t help but admire him.

This kid really went all out for food. He should’ve recorded that scene and sent it to Chu Yi, asking if he was starving his little heart at home.

Of course, Lu Xiao had no idea what Bian Yiqiu was thinking. He patted the seat next to him, signaling for him to sit. The waiter quickly cleared the table, sweeping away all the plates, dishes, and skewers. With swift movements, they wiped the table clean before placing a rough plastic menu down.

Lu Xiao didn’t even need to look at the menu, quickly rattling off ten or so dish names in one go.

Bian Yiqiu stared, speechless. “Has Chu Yi never let you eat your fill?”

Lu Xiao grinned proudly. “What are you joking about? President Chu’s cooking is so good that I wish I had two stomachs every day.”

“You’re too decadent,” Bian Yiqiu sighed, “Be careful, or you’ll gain weight.”

“I’m not worried. When Chu Yi’s home, he makes sure I work out every day. Look at his figure, I’m not concerned at all.”

Bian Yiqiu suddenly felt like he was being force-fed dog food.

After placing the order, Lu Xiao asked, “Want some beer?”

“Does Chu Yi let you drink?”

“He’s over 10,000 kilometers away now,” Lu Xiao replied, implying that Chu Yi couldn’t control him at the moment.

“Then bring it on.”

Lu Xiao happily ordered a half-dozen beers, but then remembered that Bian Yiqiu’s tolerance wasn’t great. “By the way, does President Ke let you drink?”

Bian Yiqiu felt his dignity as a man had taken a serious blow. “What’s it got to do with him?”

“Has nothing to do with him, stay calm, stay calm.” Lu Xiao chuckled. “By the way, why’d you come to my school today? Isn’t he home?”

Bian Yiqiu made a face like he had a toothache. “Can you stop bringing him up every time you open your mouth? I came to see you, do I need his permission for that?”

Lu Xiao sighed enviously. “When Chu Yi’s home, I can’t just run around like this…”

Bian Yiqiu sneered. “Am I like you? With your lack of backbone, how could he not have you wrapped around his finger?”

Lu Xiao scratched his nose. “It’s not like that. When you’re in a relationship, don’t you want to spend more time with each other? He’s so busy with work, and I’m always running back and forth between school and the art club. We barely have time together as it is.”

The barbecue wasn’t ready yet, so the waiter brought the drinks first.

Bian Yiqiu opened a bottle and placed it in front of Lu Xiao, casually asking, “What do you two do when you’re together—if it’s just sex, you don’t have to say.”

Lu Xiao had just taken a sip from the bottle and nearly choked on it at Bian Yiqiu’s blunt question.

The barbecue restaurant was packed with people, the space was cramped, and the noise from everyone chatting and drinking drowned out most other sounds. No one was likely to eavesdrop, but could he not say something like “sex” so openly?

Bian Yiqiu glanced at him nonchalantly. “What? You two don’t have sex at home?”

“…” Lu Xiao felt his inner peace crumble a little, his handsome face suddenly flushing red. “Keep your voice down.”

“Oh.” Bian Yiqiu lowered his voice in response. “Then answer my question.”

“There are a lot of things we do at home—reading together, cooking together, cleaning the house, watching TV together, or sometimes he models for me while I draw…”

“You two really don’t have sex, huh?” Bian Yiqiu stroked his chin with a mischievous grin. “Is Chu Yi not capable?”

Lu Xiao nearly slammed his hand on the table. “Bian Yiqiu, can we please just have a normal conversation?”

“Sure, sure,” Bian Yiqiu immediately put on a listening expression. “Go ahead, keep talking.”

“Nothing more to say, it’s done,” Lu Xiao said, clearly displeased.

Just then, the barbecue arrived, and Bian Yiqiu quickly grabbed a skewer of lamb and offered it to Lu Xiao, trying to smooth things over. “Let’s eat first.”

With the food in front of him, Lu Xiao couldn’t be bothered to argue anymore.

Yang Barbecue became famous in the university town for three reasons: the freshness of the ingredients, the unique sauces, and the perfect grilling technique. The moment you bite into it, the flavor fills your mouth, and after swallowing, you can’t help but keep savoring it. Even Bian Yiqiu thought he had never tasted such delicious barbecue in his thirty years of life.

The two of them devoured most of the food, each finishing two bottles of beer. When the third bottle was placed on the table, Bian Yiqiu’s head started to feel a bit dizzy.

He showed no intention of stopping, grabbing the bottle and pouring himself another drink. Then, with determination, he asked, “So, you two just stay home when you’re dating?”

Lu Xiao replied, “No, sometimes we go out for dates too.”

“What do you do on those dates?”

Lu Xiao casually listed off some of the things he and Chu Yi did on their dates: “We go to concerts, visit art exhibitions, watch movies, go to the beach to watch the sunrise… Sometimes, we don’t do anything at all—just stroll around or find a quiet place to relax.”

Bian Yiqiu, lost in thought, imagined scenes of watching movies and shopping with Ke Mingxuan. The more he thought about it, the more unsettling it became. He shuddered and quickly shook off the creepy image from his mind.

“You two dog-boyfriends are just disgusting.”

Lu Xiao nearly choked on a piece of fish, quickly gulping down some beer to swallow it. He stared at Bian Yiqiu as if he were an alien. “Who doesn’t do that when they’re in a relationship?”

Bian Yiqiu silently thought to himself, I don’t.

Lu Xiao asked, “So how do you and Mr. Ke date?”

Bian Yiqiu moved his lips but couldn’t form a clear response. After a long pause, he muttered, “Anyway, it’s not like how you two do it.”

It seemed that the way young people fell in love wasn’t really for him.

But Ke Mingxuan was around the same age as Chu Yi, so maybe he would like it?

Maybe he should rethink his approach to dating in the future?

However, music concerts were something he couldn’t understand, art exhibitions didn’t interest him, and watching the sunrise was out of the question because he couldn’t get up that early. The only reliable activity left was watching movies. But two grown men sitting there with popcorn… he just couldn’t bring himself to accept it.

If Lu Xiao knew what Bian Yiqiu was thinking, he would probably go crazy, grab his collar, and yell, “Who the hell told you that watching a movie has to include popcorn?! Why does your thinking as a pure gay seem like that of a straight guy?!”

Bian Yiqiu, caught in this indescribable inner turmoil, downed the third bottle of beer. When Ke Mingxuan called, he nearly dropped the phone.

Young Master Ke’s face shows clear displeasure as Zuo Cheng helps the drunken Bian Yiqiu back to Junlin Tianxia.

Zuo Cheng, without a shred of loyalty, dumped his boss and walked away. From behind, he vaguely heard the voice of a certain someone, laced with barely contained anger: “Drinking is one thing, but you actually went to find Lu Xiao?”

Bian Yiqiu had once liked Lu Xiao so much, and now Young Master Ke was just as angry. Although he knew that Lu Xiao had no interest in this guy in that way, just the thought of the two of them laughing and drinking together without a care made the old vinegar in Young Master Ke’s heart surge uncontrollably.

As for the drunk Bian Yiqiu, he didn’t even realize he’d done anything wrong. The moment he heard Lu Xiao’s name, he reflexively mumbled, “Xiao Lu…”

Young Master Ke was so furious that he nearly wanted to strangle him. He grabbed Bian Yiqiu’s arm and threw him straight into the bathtub.

The cold water poured over Bian Yiqiu’s head, and his muddled senses cleared up halfway. The water running down his hair and eyebrows stung his eyes, making it hard to open them.

He wiped his face in a panic, unable to control his voice as he shouted, “Lu Xiao, what are you—”

Before he could finish, someone grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up. His gaze met a pair of furious yet breathtakingly beautiful peach blossom eyes. His heart skipped a beat—he was done for!

“It seems I really need to make you remember who I am!”

Young Master Ke said this as he reached down to undo Bian Yiqiu’s belt. The violent movement made Bian Yiqiu have no doubt that this guy was planning to rape him.

“Wait, wait, wait… Young Master Ke, let me explain!”

“Fine, explain,” Young Master Ke said, though his actions showed no sign of stopping.

“I just went to ask Lu Xiao how he’s dating Chu Yi… Damn it, stop taking off my pants…”

“What made you go ask him instead of asking me?”

“I’m trying to date you, you bastard! Young Master Ke, I’ll fuck your grandpa… If you dare go that far, I swear I’ll kill you… Mm…”

Threatening Young Master Ke had serious consequences. Boss Bian, punished for his various offenses, was finally carried out of the bathroom by Young Master Ke.

The soft, warm blanket enveloped his body, and the familiar scent filled his nose.

Unable to resist, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, letting out a contented sigh. “Young Master Ke, let’s go watch a movie…”

As soon as he spoke, his breathing settled into a gentle rhythm. The wave of drowsiness that followed made him miss Young Master Ke’s response entirely.

But when he woke up the next morning and checked his phone, he found a message with two VIP cinema ticket codes.