After finding the little boy’s mother, Chu Shangluo and Ren Jiaoming returned to the hotel. Since the trip was spontaneous, there was only one last double room available.

This worked out well for Chu Shangluo. He sat on the bed and saw Ren Jiaoming taking off his suit jacket, which was covered in dirt. Underneath the jacket, he wore a fitted vest that hugged his white shirt tightly, looking both elegant and reserved. Chu Shangluo didn’t pay much attention to how he dressed—most of his clothes were bought by Lin Zhi. He didn’t like wearing matching vests, feeling uncomfortable in them, especially because his regular workouts made his chest muscles look more pronounced in a vest. He didn’t mind, except that Gu Yao and his troublemaking friends enjoyed teasing him by pinching them.

Ren Jiaoming undid his tie, neatly folded the jacket and vest, and walked into the bathroom, locking the door. The sound of water started, and Chu Shangluo lay on the bed, feeling a little sleepy. He lazily yawned, staring at the shadow of Ren Jiaoming visible through the bathroom door. Although he couldn’t see anything, it was enough to let his imagination wander. From his secret observations and the shadows he’d seen today, he concluded that Ren Jiaoming’s physique was quite remarkable.

The water ran for a while, and the bathroom door opened. Chu Shangluo opened his eyes, expecting to see a beautiful sight of Ren Jiaoming stepping out of the shower. However, Ren Jiaoming emerged wearing a white shirt and suit pants, buttoned up all the way from the first button. He was wrapped up so tightly, not revealing anything at all. Chu Shangluo felt a bit disappointed and sat up, unbuttoning his shirt and taking off his pants, revealing his fair and toned body.

Ren Jiaoming heard the rustling of clothes, glanced up, then casually looked away. Chu Shangluo walked into the bathroom to shower, and when he came out wearing a bathrobe, he saw Ren Jiaoming rubbing his wrist. Although Ren Jiaoming immediately stopped when he saw him, Chu Shangluo noticed the redness on his wrist, which stood out from his usual complexion.

He casually rubbed his hair, walked over to Ren Jiaoming, and asked, “Did you hurt your wrist when you saved Jiang Jia today?”

“It’s nothing,” Ren Jiaoming replied, looking at his computer. “Lin Zhi just called. There’s something to handle at the company. I’ve booked a flight back tomorrow afternoon.”

Chu Shangluo didn’t listen to what Ren Jiaoming was saying. He grabbed his wrist, rolled up the sleeve, and saw the redness and swelling that had appeared on his usually fair wrist.

Chu Shangluo frowned, “You’re still saying it’s nothing? Do you want to leave a lasting injury?”

“I said it’s fine,” Ren Jiaoming replied, gripping Chu Shangluo’s arm, trying to pull his hand away.

Chu Shangluo wasn’t having it. He trapped Ren Jiaoming’s arm between his legs and said, “Stop pulling away. Let me massage it. I know how to do this.”

Without caring whether Ren Jiaoming agreed or not, Chu Shangluo firmly pressed his hands onto the swollen wrist, his damp hands from just finishing a shower starting to knead Ren Jiaoming’s wrist.

Chu Shangluo wasn’t being polite at all; he wasn’t trying to take advantage but simply wanted to ease the blood stagnation. Ren Jiaoming was forced to stay close to Chu Shangluo, his expression unchanged, but the slight furrow in his brows betrayed his discomfort. It was hard to tell whether the discomfort came from the pain in his wrist, the heat from Chu Shangluo’s body, or the fact that Chu Shangluo’s long legs were tightly pressed against his arm. His gaze fell on Chu Shangluo’s face, and for the first time, he took a close look at his features, noticing that Chu Shangluo resembled Wen Yan in some ways.

It was unclear how long the massage lasted, but Ren Jiaoming eventually felt his shoulder grow heavy as Chu Shangluo fell asleep on it. Ren Jiaoming tried to pull his hand away, but Chu Shangluo still held on tightly. He watched Chu Shangluo’s sleeping face for a while, then slowly pried his fingers apart one by one. He rotated his wrist and, sure enough, the pain had lessened. Ren Jiaoming looked at his wrist in silence for a long time before finally laying Chu Shangluo down on the bed, covering him with a blanket, and turning off the lights. That night, Ren Jiaoming couldn’t sleep well. His injured wrist burned like a fever, keeping him awake the entire night.

The third day after returning to the capital was Chinese New Year. The entire Chu family’s company was eerily quiet, with only a little activity in the CEO’s office. Chu Shangluo, holding a cigarette, dialed an international number. While waiting, he looked out the window at the usually bustling street, now nearly empty. After a while, a childish male voice came through the phone: “Luo Luo, you called me! I’m so happy, Luo Luo, it’s been so long since you called me!” Chu Shangluo extinguished the cigarette. “Where’s Mom?”

“Mom! Mom!” the man responded somewhat disgruntled. “Why are you asking for Mom? I want to talk to Luo Luo!” After a short pause, a woman’s voice came on the line. “Shangluo.”

“Mm,” Chu Shangluo lowered his gaze, flicking the ash from his cigarette. “Aren’t you coming back this year?”

“We’re not coming back. Your brother’s condition is unstable, and only Professor Lin can control it. We need to stay with him. It’s been tough on you with the company.” The woman’s tone was gentle but distant.

Chu Shangluo had already anticipated this response. “Mm, then I won’t keep you. I have things to do.”

“Ah! Ah! Don’t hang up! I want to talk to Luo Luo!” The man’s voice sounded pleading, but Chu Shangluo hung up the phone anyway.

When Lin Zhi walked in, he noticed the slight redness in Chu Shangluo’s eyes. Thinking about the day’s significance, he said, “Boss, why don’t you come to my house for the New Year?”

Chu Shangluo waved his hand, standing up. “What’s the point of going to your house for the New Year? I still have a family.”

Lin Zhi watched as Chu Shangluo walked away and couldn’t help but wonder—what would going back home change? Wouldn’t he still be alone?

In the past, the boss wasn’t a workaholic. When he first met Chu Shangluo, Chu Shangluo was a very playful person who almost never cared about the company’s affairs. At that time, the company was always managed by his older brother, Chu Shangyue. Chu Shangyue was smart, capable, and kind-hearted, and all the employees loved him. It was a well-accepted fact that the Chu family business would eventually be handed over to him.

However, two years ago, the two brothers were in a car accident on their way to a business meeting. Chu Shangluo’s car rear-ended Chu Shangyue’s. Chu Shangyue sustained multiple fractures and, even after his physical injuries healed, he was left with brain damage, resulting in an IQ equivalent to that of a 10-year-old. Chu Shangluo’s parents handed the company over to him and took Chu Shangyue abroad for treatment, never returning to the country since then. No one except Chu Shangluo knows exactly what happened that day and why the accident occurred. Those who don’t understand him may suspect that Chu Shangluo intentionally rear-ended his brother to take over the position. After all, his brother was always an outstanding student and highly capable, while Chu Shangluo had a volatile temper and a troublesome personality, often forgotten by others.

However, after spending so much time with the boss, Lin Zhi knew that Chu Shangluo was never inferior to Chu Shangyue; it was just a matter of personality. Some people are born natural leaders, while others are more carefree and playful. There’s no such thing as one being better than the other.

After leaving the company, Chu Shangluo aimlessly wandered around, bored. He didn’t want to go home, not because his parents weren’t there, but because there were too many relatives. The moment they found out he was back, they would swarm his house. While walking, he thought about Ren Jiaoming. He realized that Ren Jiaoming had no family, and a day like today must have been difficult for him. After the business trip, Ren Jiaoming’s attitude toward him had improved a lot, and today might be a good opportunity to strengthen their relationship.

So, he bought some New Year’s gifts and drove to Ren Jiaoming’s house. Chu Shangluo remembered the last time he had been turned away by Ren Jiaoming, but he was confident it wouldn’t happen this time. After all, it’s a big holiday, and the boss visiting an employee’s home should at least warrant some respect, right? He tidied himself up, smiled, and rang the doorbell.

After a while, Ren Jiaoming’s voice came from inside: “Is there something you need?”

“I came to see my secretary Ren. What’s wrong? Don’t you even want to let me in for a seat on New Year’s Day?”

There was a moment of silence before the door opened. Chu Shangluo reached for the doorknob to enter but saw Ren Jiaoming standing in front of him, blocking the way. Ren Jiaoming looked at him with a heavy expression and showed no intention of letting him in.

“Mr. Chu, it’s not convenient.”

Chu Shangluo was taken aback. “You mean I traveled all this way with gifts to see you, and you won’t even let me inside?”

Ren Jiaoming frowned. “I didn’t ask you to come.”

Chu Shangluo placed his hand on his forehead, his chest heaving with anger. He felt like he was about to explode, but what was more frustrating was that he didn’t know how to argue back, because Ren Jiaoming really hadn’t asked him to come.

Seeing Chu Shangluo’s face turning red with anger, Ren Jiaoming’s tone softened slightly. “I appreciate the gesture.”

But Ren Jiaoming still didn’t let Chu Shangluo in.

Chu Shangluo felt really embarrassed. He wondered whether he should leave or stay. Ren Jiaoming quickly gave him an out. “As a return gesture, Mr. Chu, do you have time tomorrow? Let me treat you to a meal.” Chu Shangluo’s anger finally eased a little. Then his eyes landed on the shoe covers on Ren Jiaoming’s slippers, and he remembered that people with a cleanliness obsession often didn’t like having outsiders over to their homes. He said, “I’ll be free tomorrow,” and then stuffed the New Year gifts into Ren Jiaoming’s hands. “Tell you, you’re not allowed to throw them away this time.”

Ren Jiaoming showed a hint of surprise in his eyes, then simply nodded with a “Mm.”

Chu Shangluo turned and returned to his car. This time, he didn’t leave immediately. He wanted to see if Ren Jiaoming would throw away the things he bought. Seeing that Ren Jiaoming didn’t throw anything out, he finally felt a little relieved. Just as he was about to drive away, he noticed a car approaching from the distance, which stopped in front of Ren Jiaoming’s house.

Chu Shangluo looked at the expensive car. A young man who seemed somewhat familiar got out and walked to the door to knock. The door opened, and the young man smiled as he walked inside. When the door was closed again, Chu Shangluo froze for a moment before realizing who it was. The young man was Wen Yan, the young master of the Wen family.

Chu Shangluo was so angry that he had a headache. Rather than being angry, it felt more like a heartache from being ignored. He sat in the car, lit a cigarette, and after calming down, drove off.

At that moment, Ren Jiaoming came out to see Wen Yan off. He noticed the car leaving and looked at it curiously. Wen Yan followed his gaze, but didn’t see anything, and gave a soft smile. “What are you looking at?”

Ren Jiaoming withdrew his gaze, his tone casual. “Nothing.”

When he got home, Chu Shangluo grew angrier the more he thought about it. He had originally planned to spend the New Year with Ren Jiaoming, thinking that since Ren Jiaoming had no family, and he himself also had no one to spend it with, they could keep each other company. But it seemed he had been overthinking. Even though Ren Jiaoming appeared to have no friends, he clearly didn’t need anyone to keep him company, while he, who had a bunch of friends, couldn’t even find someone to talk to at this time.

Frustrated, Chu Shangluo flipped through his phone’s contact list and ended up calling Gu Yao, who was definitely busy drinking at this time. Gu Yao had drunk earlier in the morning and was just beginning to sober up when he received Chu Shangluo’s call.

Chu Shangluo held a glass of wine and vented his frustration to Gu Yao. He cursed Ren Jiaoming and complained about his failure in the romance department.

After listening, Gu Yao burst into laughter. “My dear President Chu, you really don’t know how to chase people! When Ren Jiaoming signed the contract with you, he specifically said not to cross boundaries. But you went straight to his house! Anyone would be annoyed by that.”

“Do you know how to chase people?” Chu Shangluo replied, “He’s such an ice cube. If I don’t make a move, how can we have a story?”

“He’s already by your side, having a story is just a matter of time! Why are you in such a hurry? Be more magnanimous. Your impatient, results-driven personality—you’re not really trying to date Ren Jiaoming, you just want to possess him.”

Chu Shangluo took a sip of his drink. “What’s the difference?”

“Forget it, I can’t make you understand. Anyway, just play it by ear. He has no parents, so just give him more love and kindness, and let feelings develop over time. Aren’t you always confident in your charm?”

This was true. Chu Shangluo had an exceptional confidence in his own charm.

After talking with Gu Yao, Chu Shangluo felt much better. After a few more drinks, he unknowingly dozed off on the couch. Alone, he spent what should have been a joyful and family-oriented holiday in silence.

The next day, Chu Shangluo was woken up by his phone ringing. He groggily picked it up, his voice hoarse. “Who is it?”

“It’s me. When are you free today?”

As soon as Chu Shangluo heard that cool, distant voice, he became fully awake, and the anger from yesterday resurfaced. He tried to remain calm and said, “I don’t have time today. Let’s reschedule.” He then hung up the phone.

Chu Shangluo ran a hand through his hair, thinking to himself that even if he liked him, he couldn’t just let Ren Jiaoming treat him however he wanted.

Meanwhile, Ren Jiaoming, already prepared and holding his phone, fell into deep thought.