Chu Chendong took a deep breath. “Chu Shangluo, come with me to the study.”

After speaking, he turned away without lingering, leaving only his cold, rigid back to his son.

Chu Shangluo sat up, face pale, clenching his fists tightly. Coming out this way was never part of his plan. He had imagined introducing Ren Jiaoming to his parents one day, but certainly not under such awkward and sudden circumstances.

Ren Jiaoming studied Chu Shangluo’s pale face in silence for a moment before speaking.

“Your father seems very angry.”

Chu Shangluo slowly calmed himself, then held Ren Jiaoming’s hand firmly.

“It’s fine. I would have told them about us sooner or later anyway. We’re going to spend our lives together. He just found out earlier than expected. Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him. Wait for me here.”

He squeezed Ren Jiaoming’s hand again, then left the room.

Ren Jiaoming remained seated on the bed, his gaze fixed on the hand Chu Shangluo had just held.

A message notification pulled him from his thoughts. Playing the voice message, Wen Yan’s cheerful voice filled the room.

“Ruan Ge, everything’s ready here. Hurry back with Chu Shangluo! I can’t wait any longer—Beijing’s business world is about to be shaken up for real this time!”

Ren Jiaoming remained silent for a moment before deleting the message. His gaze returned to the seagulls soaring freely over the sea.

He thought about what Chu Shangluo had just said—’We’re going to spend our lives together.‘

The lingering warmth from where Chu Shangluo had held his hand still burned, making Ren Jiaoming frown slightly. He pressed his other, cooler hand over it, trying to quell the unsettling heat spreading through him.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Ren Jiaoming looked up to see Meng Qing standing hesitantly in the doorway.

“Could you go wait outside the study?” she asked softly. “Xiao Luo’s father has a bad temper. If he gets too angry, he might hit him. Please, try to stop them if it gets out of hand.”

Since arriving, Ren Jiaoming had sensed the strained atmosphere in this household. He couldn’t help but picture Chu Shangluo’s face again.

Looking at Meng Qing, he replied, “You would be better suited to intervene in this situation.”

Meng Qing was momentarily stunned by his bluntness. She hesitated before speaking again.

“To be honest, Xiao Luo and his father have the same stubborn temper. Neither gives in easily, and both are bad at expressing themselves. Since he was young, Xiao Luo pursued his own dreams. He didn’t spend much time with us, so he grew independent and determined, unlike his brother, who was always obedient. I’m actually a bit afraid of saying the wrong thing and making him angry. I’m sorry you had to witness this.”

Ren Jiaoming walked with Meng Qing toward the study.

“He’s not being rebellious,” Ren Jiaoming said quietly. “It’s not fear you’re feeling—it’s unfamiliarity. You’ve never really tried to understand your son. That’s why things turned out this way.”

Meng Qing sighed. This young man defending her son seemed to understand him far better than she did. Time and distance had built a wall between them, and now it felt too late to break it down.

Inside the study, father and son were already locked in a heated argument.

Chu Chendong’s face was flushed with fury as he pointed at Chu Shangluo, his voice sharp.

“You’ve been rebellious since childhood! Moving out in middle school just to live alone and play with those reckless extreme sports! You refused the life I planned for you! I let it go because we had your brother—there was no need to rely on you. But now your brother… Now you’re finally focusing on the company, acting like a proper adult, and what do you do? You get involved in a homosexual relationship?!”

Chu Shangluo met his father’s gaze, determined and defiant, struggling to suppress his anger.

“Whether I’m a ‘proper adult’ or not, it doesn’t matter. I will be with him, no matter what. You’ve controlled my life since I was a child. But you won’t control this. Not anymore.”

Chu Chendong glared at his son, furious. His fist slammed down hard on the desk.

“Control you? Haven’t you still followed my plans in the end? When will you finally grow up?! All the pressure fell on your brother, and it crushed him! And now you’re trying to drive me to my grave too?!”

Behind his back, Chu Shangluo’s fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

‘So even now,‘ he thought bitterly, ‘you still blame me for what happened to Shangyue?’

Just because he wasn’t as compliant as his brother, it was a mistake? Because he dared to dream and strive for his own goals, he was wrong? Should he have been like his brother, the perfect role model, constantly striving for excellence to avoid disappointing his parents?

But he didn’t speak those thoughts aloud.

He’d tried once, back in middle school, and his father had dismissed his words as childish rebellion, expecting him to give up after a few days. But he hadn’t. He’d left home and stayed away until now. Arguing never worked. Silence had always been his only escape from these endless, unresolved conflicts.

Forcing himself to stay calm, he looked his father directly in the eyes.

“Think whatever you want. I will be with Ren Jiaoming, and nothing will change that. Your approval doesn’t matter. You’ll have to accept it sooner or later—after all, I’m the only son you have left. Shangyue… he’s not capable of taking over anymore. So what can you do about me?”

‘Smack!’

A crisp slap echoed through the room.

Chu Shangluo’s head snapped to the side, his cheek gradually swelling. Chu Chendong’s whole body trembled, his broad hand still suspended in the air as he roared, “Is that how you talk to me? Your brother ended up like this—are you happy about it?!”

Chu Shangluo clenched his jaw, eyes bloodshot. “Yes, I’m happy! The entire Chu family fortune is mine now. There’s no one to compete with me anymore, so I can waste it however I want!”

The locked study door was suddenly forced open. Meng Qing rushed in with Ren Jiaoming behind her. She took in the tense standoff between father and son, her voice anxious.

“No matter what, you can’t just hit him! He’s already twenty-seven! Can’t you talk it out properly?”

She looked at Chu Shangluo’s reddened face, reaching out hesitantly before pulling her hand back, speaking softly.

“And you—speak properly with your father too.”

“There’s nothing to say.” Chu Shangluo lowered his head, grabbed Ren Jiaoming’s wrist, and turned to leave.

Behind them, Chu Chendong bellowed, “If you insist on being gay, you’re no son of mine!”

Chu Shangluo’s grip on Ren Jiaoming’s wrist tightened further. Ren Jiaoming could feel the tremor in Chu Shangluo’s hand. After a moment’s hesitation, he placed a soothing hand on Chu Shangluo’s back, gently trying to calm him.

The warmth of that touch softened the storm inside Chu Shangluo, just a little.

They descended the stairs together.

In the living room, Chu Shangyue put down his overly sweet cream cake and ran over cheerfully.

“Luo Luo, try this! It’s really sweet!”

Annoyed, Chu Shangluo avoided his brother’s gaze.

Noticing the redness on Chu Shangluo’s face, Shangyue’s smile faded into worry.

“What happened to your face? Where are you going? Breakfast is almost ready!”

Chu Shangluo ignored him, walking straight out of the house that never felt like home.

Outside, Uncle Liu was watering the garden. The moment he saw Chu Shangluo emerging, he knew another fight had broken out. These father-son conflicts were so frequent, they never met without arguing.

“Young Master Luo, where are you going so early? The old chairman has a vacant house nearby. Let me take you there.”

“No, I—”

“Actually, yes. Please take us there,” Ren Jiaoming interrupted, making the decision for him.

Uncle Liu drove them to the property. As soon as they arrived, Chu Shangluo shut himself inside the bedroom, leaving Ren Jiaoming outside with Uncle Liu.

Ren Jiaoming turned to the older man and asked, “Do you have any anti-inflammatory cream?”

“Of course, of course.” Uncle Liu fetched the cream and handed it over.

After a pause, he added, “You look a lot like a friend’s child… but since your surname is Ren, I suppose you can’t be. That boy passed away years ago.”

Ren Jiaoming took the cream with a cold nod and went inside.

Chu Shangluo sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, his face flushed and swollen, his eyes still tinged red.

Ren Jiaoming sat beside him, squeezing some cream onto his fingertips and gently applying it to the mark on Chu Shangluo’s face.

“You don’t have to fall out with your family because of me.”

The cool cream stung on contact, but Chu Shangluo remained unflinching, his expression calm.

“Why not? You know I’m not the type to hide my feelings. Besides…”

He took Ren Jiaoming’s hand, meeting his gaze with a rare intensity.

“I have to do something to make you feel secure with me. I don’t say I love you lightly. I’ve always believed that only by giving you everything I can will you believe that I’m serious.”

Ren Jiaoming stared back, heart tightening.

The room fell into a heavy silence, their breaths mingling in the stillness.

The injury on Chu Shangluo’s face seemed to deepen his striking features, making him all the more captivating. Ren Jiaoming’s breathing grew subtly faster as he watched him.

Unable to resist, he raised a hand to gently cup Chu Shangluo’s swollen cheek, his gaze involuntarily drawn to Chu Shangluo’s slightly parted lips.

Chu Shangluo felt the heat of Ren Jiaoming’s stare, his lips unconsciously moistening as he licked them. His Adam’s apple bobbed once before he leaned in and pressed his lips to Ren Jiaoming’s.

The instant their lips met, a faint but undeniable spark of desire flickered in Ren Jiaoming’s eyes.

Outside the window, clouds drifted together with the wind—just as naturally as everything unfolding between them.

It was already afternoon when Chu Shangluo finally woke up. His right cheek still throbbed with pain from the slap, but the memory of Ren Jiaoming’s rare tenderness made his heart feel unexpectedly sweet.

He thought, ‘This time, it wasn’t just an illusion. It wasn’t just wishful thinking on my part.’

The door opened, and Ren Jiaoming entered, neatly dressed, carrying a bowl of porridge. His face had returned to its usual calm, the vulnerability from earlier completely gone. Chu Shangluo sighed softly. ‘When will my Secretary Ren finally take a step forward in acknowledging my feelings?‘

Feeling both frustrated and touched, he accepted the warm, soft porridge and took a sip before asking, “Did you make this?”

Ren Jiaoming shook his head. “No, there weren’t any ingredients here. Your mother sent it over, along with the documents we left in the guest room.”

A bitter smile curled at Chu Shangluo’s lips. “Documents? Seems like she’s eager to send me back already. Fine. Let’s leave tonight.”

Ren Jiaoming hesitated, considering the storm waiting for Chu Shangluo once they returned. After a pause, he replied, “It’s too late to book a flight tonight. Let’s leave tomorrow evening instead. You could use some rest while we’re here.”

Finishing the porridge, Chu Shangluo handed the empty bowl back to Ren Jiaoming and sank back into the bed with a weary sigh. “You’re right. It’ll just be endless work again when we get back.”

Ren Jiaoming reached out, brushing aside the hair on Chu Shangluo’s forehead.

Chu Shangluo caught his hand, turning his head to look at him. “Why are you touching my hair? Do you think it’s too long too? I’ve been too busy to get a trim. And making an appointment here is such a hassle.”

Ren Jiaoming offered, “Want me to cut it for you?”

Chu Shangluo chuckled, playing with Ren Jiaoming’s smooth hand. “Oh? You can cut hair too? You won’t make me look ridiculous, will you?”

Ren Jiaoming responded with a teasing smile, “Want to find out?”

Feeling oddly swayed, Chu Shangluo replied, “Sure, why not?”

Ren Jiaoming sat him up, draping a bedsheet around his neck as a makeshift cape. With only a rusty pair of scissors on hand, he began carefully snipping at Chu Shangluo’s hair.

Ren Jiaoming’s usual focus was evident as he worked, his face so close that Chu Shangluo couldn’t help but stare. Lost in thought, his mind drifted toward more intimate feelings. Somewhere in the middle of the haircut, the distance between them dissolved, and they ended up tangled together again.

By 1 a.m., the world outside was silent except for the rhythmic sound of waves.

Ren Jiaoming led Chu Shangluo back from the shower. Exhausted, Chu Shangluo’s eyelids were already heavy with sleep.

Dressing quietly, Ren Jiaoming was about to leave when Chu Shangluo’s hand caught his wrist.

“You’re really not staying with me tonight?”

Ren Jiaoming gently pried his hand away. “I’m going for a walk.”

Leaving the bedroom, Ren Jiaoming stepped onto the balcony. The cold sea breeze washed over him, clearing his head.

Everything that had happened today felt so far beyond his control.