Outside the operating room hung a large black-and-white clock, its second hand ticking loudly with every movement.

A digital clock might have been more practical and accurate, but for those waiting, seeing time pass physically, tick by tick, felt more real. Each movement of the second hand seemed like another small victory in the battle being fought behind the closed doors.

The hallway outside was completely silent.

Ke Mingxuan looked worse than he ever had before. A faint red mark stained one side of his face, and his usually immaculate suit was crumpled beyond recognition. Commander Ke’s fury had raged like a storm, but Ke Mingxuan stood his ground, his stance firm despite the blows.

But ever since signing the critical condition notice, the doors to the operating room hadn’t budged.

Ke Zhenshan and his wife, along with the Feng family, had been ushered into a VIP lounge by the hospital’s director. The old patriarch was over eighty, and no one dared let him stand too long, not even Ke Zhenshan. Even though Ke Mingxuan’s public confession had shocked everyone, and Feng Shuxian had burst into tears and nearly fainted, Commander Ke had stayed calm. Supporting his wife, he studied his son coldly, then wordlessly led the family away.

Director Yu and his team had withdrawn to a corner, thoroughly defeated. He had never understood why Bian Yiqiu had provoked the Ke family so much that Commander Ke was digging up decades-old cases, but now it was crystal clear. Looking at Ke Mingxuan’s determination, it was obvious that no matter what the Ke and Feng families decided, things were going to end badly for everyone involved.

Yes, Director Yu thought grimly, it might be time to resign.

Time crawled by. He Xu came back with some water, offering a bottle to Ke Mingxuan. Ke Mingxuan didn’t even glance at it, his body too numb to register thirst or exhaustion.

Left with no choice, He Xu stood next to Zuo Cheng, who was as stiff and unmoving as a statue. He Xu sighed and let his eyes wander aimlessly, only to see Feng Shuxian walking slowly toward them from the far end of the hall. He straightened up instinctively.

Feng Shuxian looked like she had aged overnight. Normally, she looked no older than forty, but now her real age showed clearly. Her eyes were red and swollen, probably from crying, but she forced a smile as she stopped in front of Ke Mingxuan.

“Mingxuan, your grandfather is calling you,” she said softly.

Ke Mingxuan kept his gaze low, his eyelids half-lowered. It took him a few seconds to register what Feng Shuxian had said before he finally raised his head to look at her. His lips moved, and he mumbled one word.

“Mom.”

Feng Shuxian’s hand twitched, as though she wanted to touch the mark on his face, but she stopped herself. Her son, tall and strong, had stopped crying for his mother after fights since he was three. Now, nearly thirty, the confusion in his eyes resembled that of a lost child.

“Go on. Speak calmly. Don’t argue.”

Ke Mingxuan didn’t respond. His eyes stubbornly shifted back toward the operating room.

Following his gaze, Feng Shuxian looked at the door and said, “I’ll wait here for you, okay?”

Ke Mingxuan’s lips trembled slightly, his eyes still filled with reluctance.

Feng Shuxian reached out and patted his hand. When her fingers wrapped around his, she noticed his palm was drenched in sweat. Pulling out a tissue, she carefully wiped it dry for him.

Taking a deep breath, Ke Mingxuan straightened his posture and strode toward the VIP lounge.

He Xu and Zuo Cheng watched him leave, as if seeing a warrior heading off to certain doom.

“When Boss wakes up, he’s going to feel awful about Ke Mingxuan getting hit like that,” He Xu remarked.

Zuo Cheng nodded. “Ke Mingxuan only takes hits from our boss.”

The hospital hallway wasn’t particularly wide, so Feng Shuxian heard Zuo Cheng’s comment clearly. She turned her gaze toward them.

He Xu quickly kicked Zuo Cheng’s leg and immediately straightened up with a polite smile. “Ah, um, Auntie, please have a seat.”

Feng Shuxian glanced at the two of them, recognizing them as people from Bian Yiqiu’s side. She walked over and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Feng Shuxian knew these two were Bian Yiqiu’s people, so she walked over and nodded at them.

He Xu asked, “Auntie, would you like some water?”

“Thank you, but no.” Feng Shuxian replied, but after speaking, she felt her tone had been too stiff and slightly regretted it. Her son and the person inside clearly loved each other deeply. No matter what, they couldn’t be separated. So, she thought, she should be polite to his friends. She softened her expression and asked as kindly as she could, “The Mr. Bian inside… what does he do?”

“Uh…” He Xu hadn’t expected such an awkward first question. After a moment of hesitation, he replied, “He’s in business.”

Feng Shuxian nodded. “Being in business is good. Mingxuan is in business too. They must have a lot in common.”

Both He Xu and Zuo Cheng quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

But then, Feng Shuxian gestured toward Director Yu and asked another question. “I heard that gentleman say earlier Mr. Bian doesn’t have any close relatives and is currently… in their care?”

He Xu: “…”

Zuo Cheng: “…”

—

Two months later.

If Bian Yiqiu were to describe the first half of his life, he’d probably sum it up in just a few sentences.

“I’ve been beaten, starved, and shot at. I’ve slashed people and been slashed myself. The closest call was when a blade nearly pierced my heart valve.”

“I’ve done bad things, been ruthless, bullied men but not women, and I like young fresh meat.”

“All in all, I’m still a man.”

Z City, located by the sea, was known for its heavy summer rains. Around noon, the sky suddenly darkened, as though a thick veil of ink had been draped over it. Fierce winds howled, and soon, the rain came pouring down like a barrage of gunfire. Outside the large windows, the rain cascaded from the sky like an overturned river, flooding the streets and buildings below. Occasionally, a flash of lightning would streak across the sky, splitting the dark clouds and lighting up the city for a brief moment.

Then, just as quickly as it had arrived, the storm passed. A faint dark blue hue lingered over the distant mountains, while the hazy sunlight bathed the rows of tightly packed buildings. The air felt fresh and clean, and the puddles on the ground rippled as the water droplets gently splashed, creating reflections of the city that merged and shifted with the movement.

Ke Mingxuan, lounging on the sofa in the VIP hospital room, wore a faint smile as he listened to Bian Yiqiu shamelessly boast about himself. After a moment, he interrupted, “That ‘young fresh meat’ you’re talking about… is it me?”

Bian Yiqiu was half-reclining against the headboard. His head was shaved due to an injury, and the hair that had started to grow back made him look much younger. The loose hospital gown hung open, revealing his defined chest muscles. Hearing Ke Mingxuan’s words, he raised an eyebrow and smirked lazily.

“I haven’t tasted Master Ke’s flavor in so long, I almost forgot whether it’s fresh or not.”

The smile in Ke Mingxuan’s eyes deepened, and his fingers, resting on the arm of the sofa, slowly tapped against the cotton fabric cover. “Want to taste?”

Bian Yiqiu didn’t say anything, but his eyes grew brighter, sparking like embers, igniting Ke Mingxuan’s breath. It drew him to his feet, walking to the side of the bed, slowly leaning in for a kiss.

At first, it was just a brief, teasing touch, a few light licks. Their lips were dry and thirsty, as if starved for moisture for a long time. That faint sweetness tasted impossibly vivid, and before long, restraint gave way to something deeper. The kiss grew desperate, insatiable, an entanglement where it was impossible to tell who was leading. Bian Yiqiu’s hand shot out, gripping the back of Ke Mingxuan’s head, his fingers burying themselves into his hair.

Ke Mingxuan greedily captured his breath, his lips trailed downwards, sliding along Bian Yiqiu’s jaw, his tongue grazing from his Adam’s apple to his collarbone. The sensation of this familiar body, its texture, its warmth, was a reunion long overdue. He moved almost tentatively, comparing memory with reality, until his heated breath reached a faint pink scar on Bian Yiqiu’s chest.

Bian Yiqiu let out a low moan. His eyes closed, his senses seemed unnaturally heightened. The kiss on his chest, feather-light but scalding, burned into his skin. Desire and affection swelled within him, and he reached under Ke Mingxuan’s clothes, yanking his shirt off clumsily. His palms landed firmly on Ke Mingxuan’s waist and ass, squeezing with possessive urgency.

“I want you,” he murmured, his voice husky.

His heart thudded steadily beneath his ribs, each beat echoing through the bone and the skin that had once been torn and stitched back together. Bian Yiqiu could feel the rhythm of it with every pulse, as if his heart itself was responding to the warmth and intensity of the kiss. He thought, This must be what they call “heart racing.”

“I’m yours, every inch, every moment, every second. All of me is yours.”

Ke Mingxuan’s kisses wandered, almost reverent, leaving a trail of warmth across Bian Yiqiu’s upper body. He started cautiously, mindful of Bian Yiqiu’s still-recovering body, but soon lost himself to the wildfire burning inside him. His restrained touches turned into uninhibited bites.

Bian Yiqiu impatiently arched his back, the sensation spreading like wildfire, forcing a low, ragged breath from him. His lower body ached with the intense pressure, hard and painful.

He tightened his hold on Ke Mingxuan, rolling them both over on the high-tech hospital bed, putting the young master beneath him. With eyes burning with hunger, he spoke again.

“I want you,” he repeated, enunciating each word with intent.

Ke Mingxuan looked up and met his gaze, as if trying to confirm whether Bian Yiqiu’s “want” meant the same as what he had in mind. A few seconds later, he leaned in and kissed him. “Come on.”

Bian Yiqiu wasted no time stripping Ke Mingxuan’s clothes. As he lifted his waist to tug down his pants, he still managed to ask, “It’s lunchtime. No one’s going to come in, right?”

Ke Mingxuan chuckled, grabbing onto Bian Yiqiu’s hospital gown and pulling him down into a firm, lingering kiss.

Whatever thin string of rationality was holding Bian Yiqiu together snapped with a sharp twang. Who cared if someone barged in? Even if the King of Heaven himself showed up, there was no way he was letting this chance slip. He had dreamed of this moment countless times. Today, it was finally happening.

But for all his ferocity, this was the first time for Ke Mingxuan. Even a beast like Bian Yiqiu couldn’t bring himself to charge in recklessly. For once in his thirty-odd years of life, he managed to summon a rare gentleness, paying meticulous attention to preparation, both in lubrication and stretching.

Where did the lube come from, you ask? Oh, let’s just say that Young Master Ke had fantasized about doing this on the hospital bed for a long time so he had prepared in advance. What he never expected was that the first time it would be used was on himself.

The cool gel turned slick as it met his heated skin. Bian Yiqiu’s fingers moved, sliding in and out of that narrow, burning passage. Ke Mingxuan’s breath hitched, and his eyes flicked up to meet Bian Yiqiu’s, only to quickly look away. He lifted a hand to his forehead,  trying to hide the flush that was spreading across his face.

“Fuck, stop dragging this out,” he growled, voice hoarse. “Hurry up.”

It took every ounce of Bian Yiqiu’s self-control not to lose it right then and there.

Ke Mingxuan beneath him was too damn tempting, too irresistible. His hair disheveled, clothes a mess, lying exposed and vulnerable. He had fantasized about this moment a thousand, no, ten thousand times, how he would strip him, how he would fuck him, how he would shoot on his face. But now that Ke Mingxuan was finally before him, like a famished gourmand sitting down to a feast, he hesitated, unsure where to start.

He could only lean down and kiss him, a kiss full of longing and heat, wet and searing. His tongue drove deep as their breaths mingled, the kiss escalating their temperatures to feverish heights. Ke Mingxuan’s body slowly relaxed under him, the friction between their bodies sparking fire as their intimate contact became electric. The rhythm of their heartbeats quickened, no longer within their control…

Drenched in sweat, Bian Yiqiu positioned his thick, erect cock against the slick, reddened entrance he had carefully prepared with his fingers. He gritted his teeth, mentally commanding himself to be patient, to go slow. This was Ke Mingxuan and it was his first time.

The name “Ke Mingxuan” barely echoed through his mind before his reason shattered into fragments. Unable to hold back any longer, he thrust forward, driving himself deep. The overwhelming sensation of being engulfed hit like a lightning strike. Both of them gasped simultaneously, beads of sweat breaking out on Ke Mingxuan’s temple in an instant.

“Sorry!”

The apology fell from Bian Yiqiu’s lips, though his actions betrayed no sign of it. The lube played its role as an accomplice, but Ke Mingxuan himself was the real aphrodisiac. Just seeing his face, those mesmerizing, tear-brimmed peach blossom eyes with their flushed corners and shimmering allure, was enough to drive Bian Yiqiu to madness. Instinct guided him, urging him to push deeper. The searing heat clenching tight around his burning cock, delivering waves of mind-numbing pleasure.

Ke Mingxuan was in so much pain he couldn’t speak. But at this moment, he felt incredibly fortunate that in his struggles with Bian Yiqiu, he had won each time, delaying this moment of being fucked until now. It was also fortunate that the Bian Yiqiu he faced now was so unlike the one who had  once fought him with fists and kicks, or he was sure he wouldn’t have been able to endure even this brief moment.

The pain wrung soft whimpers from him as he fought to relax his body. The sensation of being stretched so thoroughly wasn’t exactly pleasant. Yet, the only thing that made a smile linger on his lips was the sight of Bian Yiqiu, lost in his own pleasure, completely absorbed in the moment.

Because I love you. And I’m willing to endure anything for you.

Ke Mingxuan’s gaze softened with boundless tenderness, his body yielding as if it were water. Then, suddenly, a sharp jolt electrified him, leaving him momentarily numbed.

“Ah—!”

A switch deep within him was flipped, sending a wave of intense pleasure that was both fleeting and overwhelming. His breathing turned ragged.

Through countless heated moments, their bodies had become so familiar with each other, to the point where they knew the other’s body better than their own. And now, the last forbidden territory was finally crossed.

“Bian Yiqiu…”

Ke Mingxuan called out hoarsely, lifting his hips to chase after that elusive ecstasy.

Bian Yiqiu leaned down to kiss him, their bare chests pressed together. Beneath the sweat-slicked surface of his golden-brown skin, his heart thundered wildly. Ke Mingxuan’s half-soft cock, trapped between their taut abs, slipped and rubbed against them, hardening once more.

“There…”

Ke Mingxuan murmured, his voice trembling so faintly that he wasn’t even sure the words had left his lips. The pleasure was too foreign, leaving him disoriented. All he could do was surrender himself entirely.

Luckily, it was to this man.

Ke Mingxuan thought vaguely.

However, before he could reach that euphoria, Bian Yiqiu came first. The strain was inevitable. After all, it had only been two months since his open-heart surgery, and his vigorous performance had already pushed his limits.

Ke Mingxuan, his half-lidded eyes fixed on Bian Yiqiu’s guilty expression as if he had done something wrong, held back a laugh and leaned in to kiss him.

“Next time… mmm, next time.”

At those words, Bian Yiqiu’s spirits immediately lifted. He reached out, intending to help Ke Mingxuan finish.

Instead, Ke Mingxuan pinned him down onto the bed. Gazing at his face, he decided to handle things himself.

After it was all over, he wrapped his arms around Bian Yiqiu, laughing softly as he panted, “For the next few days, you’ll just have to watch videos and jerk off.”

Bian Yiqiu gave him a huge middle finger. “Are plane tickets that expensive? Boss Bian will reimburse you.”

Ke Mingxuan chuckled, “Why not have the airline give me a monthly pass?”

Not even gone yet, and he was already starting to miss him. This feeling…. absolutely maddening.

Although the wound on Bian Yiqiu’s chest was deep, fortunately, it wasn’t life-threatening. The real problem, however, was the injury to his head.

During that life-or-death struggle, his head had taken a heavy blow, causing significant trauma to his skull. Blood had pooled in his brain, gradually pressing against his optic nerve. The worst-case scenario was that it could lead to blindness. The sharp eyesight that once allowed him to shoot accurately from hundreds of yards away was now beginning to blur.

Ke Mingxuan immediately pulled every string he could, turning heaven and earth to find the best medical treatment. After consulting numerous specialists, the final destination pointed to the other side of the Pacific—America, where Ke Mingxuan had already planned to go.

“When I leave, Commander Ke might finally get some proper sleep.”

Having eaten his fill and lain down lazily, Bian Yiqiu looked about ready to grow a tail and wag it.

After Ke Mingxuan relaxed his whole body, he felt his muscles and bones aching, especially in a certain area, which had been repeatedly prodded by that thick and long ‘tail’ hundreds of times. He couldn’t sit, stand, or lie down comfortably. If it were possible, he’d prefer to just hang upside down.

At Bian Yiqiu’s comment, he shot him a sharp look.

“You should at least call him Uncle Ke.”

Bian Yiqiu’s lips curled into a mischievous grin. “Uncle ‘Ke’ probably doesn’t want to acknowledge a nephew this grown-up.”